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We Nippon Violin have decided to put Antonio Stradivarius 1714 “Da Vinci” up for Tarisio auction.
2022.03.15
Since 2007 we have maintained this historically renowned violin of the maker’s golden period for 15 years, during which we have sometimes loaned it to musicians. Following the current owner’s view for the future, we will hand it over to next generation.
This violin was exhibited in the Tokyo Stradivarius Festival 2018 - ‘f'enomenon Stradivarius - Miracles after 300 Years, which we organized in 2018, and gathered much attention there. It is one of the instruments with which we have shared long time and memories.
Last September Mr. Nakazawa, our representative director, talked with Mr. Jason Price, CEO of Tarisio, to decide to put “Da Vinci” up for the auction.
We are planning to let the world know how splendid this instrument is through the auction, and are looking forward to see it handed over to next owner.
Stradivarius “Da Vinci” will appear in a public auction for the first time in these about fifty years after it was sold in Sotheby’s in 1974, and no Stradivarius of the maker’s golden period has appeared in any auction for these ten-plus years.
We are going to hold auction previews in London, New York, Berlin, Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong and Tokyo.
The one in Tokyo is to be cosponsored by Tarisio and Nippon Violin. More information will be updated on later days.
Antonius Stradivarius 1714 ‘DaVinci’
This beautiful violin is a representative example of Stradivari's 'golden period' and it bears an original label dated 1714. It has always been most admired for its charming scroll crafted "in the masters best style", and its one-piece back made of handsome maple cut on the quarter, marked by lively, narrow flames slanting upwards from left to right.
According to Desmond Hill, the da Vinci once belonged to a Mr. d'Emonville, but it was acquired by Joseph Chardon (1843-1930) at an auction sale in June 1881. Probably through Chardon the instrument joined the collection of the viscount Leon de Janzé. At some point, the violin went back to the Paris dealer, who sold it to J. Fourchy in 1888. Afterwards Charles Tunsch of Berlin purchased it by Caressa & Français on May 1914. Once Albert Caressa got hold of the instrument again, he sold it to Erich Lachmann, who brought it to America in 1924. A few months later Emil Herrmann found a new customer for it in Toscha Seidel (1899-1962). The da Vinci spent almost forty years together with the Russian virtuoso. It changed hands once more in 1962 and was subsequently auctioned by Sotheby's in London in 1974. The da Vinci was sold through Nippon Violin to the owner in Japan.
The name 'da Vinci' referring to this violin first appeared on a certificate released by Caressa. Ernest Doring suggested a possible explanation for the name: "The title probably originated in its richness of appearance, likened to a masterpiece of the celebrated Italian artist.
