Antonio Stradivari, Cremona, 1683, the 'Cipriani Potter'
Small Violin: 40658
Bearing its original label, with a printed date of 166-, but the year "83" has been superimposed by hand.
Back: One-piece quarter-sawn maple.
Top: of even grain
Scroll: Decorated
Ribs: Floral decoration made with inlaid black mastic
Varnish: Golden
Length of back: 33.9 cm
Upper bouts: 15.3 cm
Middle bouts: 10.3 cm
Lower bouts: 19.2 cm
Notes:
7/8-size. Third example of an ornamented instrument made by Stradivari.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 addition to those three: the Messiah, the Archinto, the Kux/Castlebarco, we also dated the ex-Cipriani Potter, a 1683 Strad at the Ashmolean Museum. We found the rings dated to 1594-1673, which is consistent with the label date of 1683.
Soundpost Online | Where players, makers and connoisseurs of the violin meet to exchange news, views and information, Stefan Hersh
Provenance
| d'Este family | |
| Cipriani Potter | |
| until 1946 | W. E. Hill & Sons |
| from 1946 | Ashmolean Museum, Hill Collection, University of Oxford |
Certificates & Documents
- Dendrochronology report: John C. Topham, Surrey Dating the youngest tree ring to 1677.
Certificate: W. E. Hill & Sons, London
Certificate: W. E. Hill & Sons, LondonCozio holds copies of many certificates and other documents, some of which are available to view on request. Please contact us if you wish to view a particular document. (Note that we do not always have permission to share documents.)
References
The Strad, October, 2011, Bruce Carlson, Newsquest Specialist Media, London (illustrated)- Antonio Stradivari: l'estetica sublime, Maurizio Villa, Consorzio Liutai Antonio Stradivari, Cremona (illustrated)
- Antonio Stradivari: His Life & Work (1644-1737), W. Henry, Arthur F. & Alfred E. Hill, William E. Hill & Sons, London, 1902
- Il Legno si fa Musica, le mostre della Cassa di Risparmio, Verona (illustrated)
- Musical Instruments in the Ashmolean Museum: The Complete Collection, John Milnes, editor, Oxford Musical Instrument Publishing, Oxford (illustrated)
- Soundpost Online | Where players, makers and connoisseurs of the violin meet to exchange news, views and information, Stefan Hersh
- Stradivari Varnish: Scientific Analysis of his Finishing Technique on Selected Instruments, Brigitte Brandmair & Stefan-Peter Greiner (illustrated)
- Stringed Instruments: Viols, Violins, Citterns, and Guitars in the Ashmolean Museum, Harvey S. Whistler, Ashmolean Museum, Oxford (illustrated)
- The decorated instruments of Antonio Stradivari
- The Hill Collection of Musical Instruments, David D. Boyden, Oxford University Press, London (illustrated)
- The Jacques Français Rare Violins, Inc. Photographic Archive and Business Records, 1844-1998, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC (illustrated)
- The Stradivari Legacy, Carlo Chiesa & Duane Rosengard, Peter Biddulph, London (illustrated)
- Violin Iconography of Antonio Stradivari 1644-1737, Herbert K. Goodkind, Larchmont, NY (illustrated)
- Viols, Violins and Virginals, Jennifer A. Charlton, Ashmolean Museum, Oxford (illustrated)
- Welcome to Peter Biddulph Ltd
The Strad, October, 2011, Bruce Carlson, Newsquest Specialist Media, London (illustrated)
