Antonio Stradivari, Cremona, 1711, the 'Duport'


Cello: 40274

Back: Two-piece

Length of back: 75.5 cm

Upper bouts: 34 cm

Middle bouts: 22.8 cm

Lower bouts: 43.6 cm

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Notes:

"Duport's position as Napoleon's favorite cellist almost resulted in disaster for his Stradivarius when the emperor appeared, booted and spurred, at a private recital in the Tuileries. As the French historian Antoine Vidal later recounted, 'He listened with pleasure and, as soon as the piece was over he approached Duport, complimented him, and, grasping the cello with his usual forcefulness, asked, "How the devil do you hold this, Monsieur Duport?" while, sitting down, he squeezed the unfortunate instrument between his spurred boots.' Some say the marks of the spurs can still be clearly seen in the sides of the cello."

Stradivarius: Five Violins, One Cello and a Genius, Toby Faber, Stradivarius: Five Violins, One Cello and a Genius

Provenance

until 1819 Jean-Louis Duport
1819-1842 Louis Duport
1842-1892 August-Joseph Franchomme
in 1892 Sold by W. E. Hill & Sons
from 1892 Baron Johann Knoop
until 1906 W. E. Hill & Sons
from 1906 John S. Phipps
from 1927 Horace Havemeyer
in 1968 Sold by Rembert Wurlitzer Inc.
from 1968 Gerald F. Warburg
1974-2007 Msistlav Rostropovich
from 2007 Current owner

Known players

Auguste-Joseph Franchomme, Jean-Louis Duport, Msistlav Rostropovich

References

  • A Thousand Mornings of Music, Arnold Gingrich, Crown Publishers, New York (illustrated)
  • Antonio Stradivari: His Life & Work (1644-1737), W. Henry, Arthur F. & Alfred E. Hill, William E. Hill & Sons, London, 1902 (illustrated)
  • Antonius Stradivarius (Balfoort), Dirk J. Balfoort, The Continental Book Company, Stockholm (illustrated)
  • Encyclopedia of Violin-Makers, Volume 2, Karel Jalovec, Paul Hamlyn Ltd., London (illustrated)
  • The Strad, October, 1997, Samuel Zygmuntowicz, Orpheus, London (illustrated)
  • The Strad, February, 2005, Carlo Chiesa, Newsquest Specialist Media, London (illustrated)
  • How Many Strads? (1999 edition), Doring, Bein & Fushi, Bein & Fushi, Chicago, 1999 (illustrated)
  • I violoncelli di Antonio Stradivari, Bruce Carlson, Conzorzio Liutai Antonio Stradivari, Cremona (illustrated)
  • Italian Violin Makers (1964), Karel Jalovec, Paul Hamlyn, London, 1964 (illustrated)
  • Private Archives - 10842
  • Stradivari Pictures
  • Stradivarius: Five Violins, One Cello and a Genius, Toby Faber, Macmillan
  • The 'Secrets' of Stradivari, Simone Fernando Sacconi, Eric Blot Edizioni, Cremona (illustrated)
  • Violin Iconography of Antonio Stradivari 1644-1737, Herbert K. Goodkind, Larchmont, NY (illustrated)
  • W. E. Hill & Sons Photographic Archive (illustrated)

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