Today my Strad-hunting took me to the Musikinstrumentmuseum in Berlin which boasts a 1703 violin in its collection. They pulled it from the display for me so I could meet it in a private room. I had a shoulder rest and bow ready so imagine my disappointment when the official handed me a pair of white handschuhe (gloves) and told me it was not in playable condition. A quick examination even by my untrained eyes told me why: this was a battered instrument, a survivor of domestic abuse, copious knocks and bruises, and multiple repairs. Its right f-hole was askew and someone had wound an E-string adjustor into the grain so bad it had dented the wood and formed a black mark. My heart ached for this instrument: it was the Frankenstein of violins! I was curious about its provenance but it is shrouded in mystery. I don’t know where it went after leaving Stradivari’s workshop; all that is known is:
· It was brought to Germany from Russia in the 1950s or 60s by a Geigenbauer named Schlieps, according to a dealer called Rudolf Pliverics.
· It was authenticated in 1969 by Malcolm R. Sadler of Ealing-Strings in London
· According to a dendrochronologist at Hamburg University in 1993 it was definitely made of wood dating from no later than 1680.
· It was played by various members of the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra.
· It was restored by Geigenbauerin Olga Adelmann, who was the first-ever female violin-maker, and trained during the Nazi era (oh my god, can you imagine?)
[Pictures to follow]
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