Antonio Stradivari, Cremona, 1690, the 'Medici, Tuscan (Contralto)'
Viola: 40260
Back: Two-piece
Top: of spruce of very narrow grain in the center
Varnish: Yellow-golden
Length of back: 41.4 cm
Upper bouts: 18.7 cm
Middle bouts: 13.1 cm
Lower bouts: 24.3 cm
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Notes:
"It [the viola] is worthy in every respect of its surviving companions of the quintet -- the violin and violoncello; wood and varnish are identical with those used for them, although the viola seems a shade lighter in color than the violin."Antonio Stradivarius: His Life & Work, W. Henry, Arthur F. & Alfred E. Hill, W. Henry, Arthur F. & Alfred E. Hill, Antonio Stradivari: His Life & Work (1644-1737), London
"In 1977 the library received on indefinite loan the 'Tuscan-Medici' Stradivari viola, the property of the Tuscan Foundation."
National Treasure, Philip J. Kass, The Strad, November, 2006, London
"The instrument has six-filled holes in the ribs below the saddle. These holes indicate that either the viola was at one time strung with more than four strings or that a unique type of tailpiece may have been attached to the bottom block at these points. . . ." On the inside of the top in the treble upper bout, written in pen, is the inscription: 'The Medici Stradivari / AH June 1913.' This corresponds with the Hills acquiring the viola from Mr. Avery Tyrell in 1913, the 'AH' standing for Alfred Hill."
Provenance
| from 1690 | Grand Duke of Tuscany, Cosimo III de Medici |
| until 1793 | Norris & Barnes |
| from 1793 | Bright |
| until 1803 | Cavaliere Gianfigliazzi |
| from 1803 | John Betts |
| from 1804 | Alexander Glennie |
| in c. 1810 | F. de Rougemont |
| ... | ... |
| 1840-1913 | Avery Tyrell |
| from 1913 | W. E. Hill & Sons |
| in 1924 | Sold by Rudolph Wurlitzer Co. |
| from 1924 | Herbert N. Strauss |
| from 1956 | W. E. Hill & Sons |
| until 1957 | Rembert Wurlitzer Inc. |
| 1957-1960 | Cameron Baird |
| from 1960 | Current owner |
Known players
Cameron Baird, Pinchas Zukerman, Samuel Rhodes
References
- Antonio Stradivari: His Life & Work (1644-1737), W. Henry, Arthur F. & Alfred E. Hill, William E. Hill & Sons, London, 1902
Capolavori di Antonio Stradivari, Charles Beare, Arnoldo Mondadori S.p.A., Milan (illustrated)- Encyclopedia of Violin-Makers, Volume 2, Karel Jalovec, Paul Hamlyn Ltd., London (illustrated)
- How Many Strads? (1999 edition), Doring, Bein & Fushi, Bein & Fushi, Chicago, 1999 (illustrated)
- Violins & Violinists, July, 1938, Ernest N. Doring, William Lewis & Son, Chicago (illustrated)
- Italian Violin Makers (1964), Karel Jalovec, Paul Hamlyn, London, 1964 (illustrated)
- The Strad, November, 2006, Philip J. Kass, Newsquest Specialist Media, London
- The Strad, October, 1992, Orpheus, London (illustrated)
- Private Archives - 10842
- Wurlitzer Collection of Rare Violins, Violas & Bows, Rudolph Wurlitzer Co., New York (illustrated)
- Stradivari, Stewart Pollens, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 2010 (illustrated)
- Stradivari’s Medici Quintet, part 1, Cozio Carteggio feature, Alessandra Barabaschi (illustrated)
- Stradivari’s Medici Quintet, part 3, Cozio Carteggio feature, Alessandra Barabaschi (illustrated)
- The 'Secrets' of Stradivari, Simone Fernando Sacconi, Eric Blot Edizioni, Cremona (illustrated)
- The History of the Viola, Volume II, Maurice W. Riley (illustrated)
- The Jacques Français Rare Violins, Inc. Photographic Archive and Business Records, 1844-1998, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC, Box 57 (illustrated)
- The Stringed Instrument Collection in the Library of Congress, Shinichi Yokoyama, Gakken
- Violin Iconography of Antonio Stradivari 1644-1737, Herbert K. Goodkind, Larchmont, NY (illustrated)
- Tuscan-Medici Stradivari; Library of Congress
- The Strad, October, 1992, Orpheus, London (illustrated)
- We Love Stradivari, NHK (illustrated)
Capolavori di Antonio Stradivari, Charles Beare, Arnoldo Mondadori S.p.A., Milan (illustrated)
