# old violin



## Hazel

Does anyone know? Is there a way of knowing whether a very old violin really is a Stradivarius or one that some copycat maker has stuck a Stradivarius label inside?


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## Ukko

Authenticating a Stradivarius is a process similar to authenticating a painting by a master. There's them that know.


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## Hazel

Hilltroll72 said:


> Authenticating a Stradivarius is a process similar to authenticating a painting by a master. There's them that know.


Or authenticing those "stonehenges" up there in your country? 

You are right, of course. It just seems to me that I've read something somewhere that makes Stradivarius's signature recognizable as his. I am probably wrong.


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## Krummhorn

Probably a good start is to find a reputable Luthier in your region ... they should be able to point someone in the right direction if they themselves do not know the answer.


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## Hazel

Krummhorn said:


> Probably a good start is to find a reputable Luthier in your region ... they should be able to point someone in the right direction if they themselves do not know the answer.


Thank you. That's the challenge - finding someone reputable. We shall try.


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## GraemeG

There can't be that many Strads left unaccounted-for after nearly 300 years.
Was there ever a time when they were cheap to buy? I doubt it.
There is a wiki page which catalogues known Strads - it's very interesting to read; who's got what, etc...
cheers,
GG


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## Ukko

GraemeG said:


> There can't be that many Strads left unaccounted-for after nearly 300 years.
> Was there ever a time when they were cheap to buy? I doubt it.
> There is a wiki page which catalogues known Strads - it's very interesting to read; who's got what, etc...
> cheers,
> GG


Good point. The teaser is the supposition is that a known Strad can become unknown - 'lost' - or that a genuine Strad was purchased from the maker by an affluent burgher and never _became 'known_. As in Giovanni di Lombardinelli, the owner of a string of pasta parlors, who bought the violin as an investment.

Hey, I get wilder emails than that every week.


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## Hazel

Hilltroll72 said:


> Good point. The teaser is the supposition is that a known Strad can become unknown - 'lost' - or that a genuine Strad was purchased from the maker by an affluent burgher and never _became 'known_. As in Giovanni di Lombardinelli, the owner of a string of pasta parlors, who bought the violin as an investment.
> 
> Hey, I get wilder emails than that every week.


They made Edison hide his wild idea under the streets. Now everyone wants to do it.
Pay attention to those letters.


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## TrazomGangflow

Sometimes violin labels say model of a Stradivarius as well. Many are modeled after Strads.


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