Today we’re diving deep into the popular question, “How many Stradivarius violins are there?”
The allure of a Stradivarius violin is undeniable, captivating us all with its legendary craftsmanship and stellar sound quality. But many of us wonder – and historians are still solidifying – how many of these fine instruments still exist today.
Antonio Stradivari, an Italian luthier of the late 17th and early 18th centuries, achieved unparalleled mastery in instrument making, particularly violins. His instruments, coveted for their exceptional tonal qualities and design, have become the stuff of legend, fetching astronomical prices at auctions and becoming the gold standard for modern violin making.
Despite their fame (or maybe because of it), the true number of authentic Strad violins in existence today remains somewhat of a mystery. Experts have documented and cataloged as many instruments as possible, from those in museums to the ones played by the pros and owned by private collectors.
As you’ll find out, these coveted instruments can have a turbulent time out in the world. Many have gone missing, some have been stolen out of the hands of prestigious violinists, and others have succumbed to time.
Let’s learn a bit about our violin maker, what makes his instruments so special, and learn about the most famous of his violins.
How many Stradivarius violins are there?
It’s widely believed that Antonio Stradivari produced 1,100 to 2,000 instruments throughout his lifetime. Of these instruments produced, 960 of them were violins. Around 600 of his instruments are still around and accounted for today, but how many Stradivarius violins exist today? We believe around 450-500 of his violins still survive.
What is a Stradivarius Violin?
A Stradivarius instrument is a violin, viola, cello, or other string instrument made by Antonio Stradivari, or another member of his family. Stradivari was a well-known violin maker, or luthier, in the 17th and 18th centuries, and he produced around 1,116 instruments through his lifetime.
Stradivarius violins are renowned for their musically superior sound quality, exquisite craftsmanship, and historical value. They’re generally regarded as the finest violins in the world, and a few very famous violinists play on these instruments today.
Antonio Stradivari: His life and crafting periods
Antonio Stradivari was born sometime between 1644 and 1649 in Cremona, Italy. He likely began an apprenticeship with another esteemed violin maker in Cremona, Nicolo Amati, when he was twelve years old.
A violin made by Nicolo Amati (left) and the Davidoff violin made by Antonio Stradivari (right) – front and back
He opened his own violin shop and immediately succeeded. Gaining a good reputation early on allowed him to make several design innovations on his violins, changing the shape to be a little larger, and experimenting with new shades of varnish. The majority of these instruments were made during his “Golden Period” from around 1700-1725 when he was making essentially perfect violins in his prime.
Stradivarius violins are known for their maker’s fine craftsmanship, symmetrical design, and beautiful sound. As he began to age, his instruments’ quality declined as he was no longer able to pay quite as much attention to detail.
The luthier had, among others, two sons who occasionally worked in his shop, but they both only created a few violins each. Their work isn’t as well known as their father’s, and when we talk about Stradivarius violins, we’re usually referring to those specifically made by Antonio Stradivari.
Stradivari died in 1737, at around 93 years old. He left his workshop and tools to his son Francesco.
What makes Stradivarius instruments so special?
Stradivarius violins are well made, easy to play, and have a great sound. Even after 300 years, Stradivari’s violins still sound fantastic! The acoustic properties sound flawless to most listeners, and, with maintenance, the violins still look and sound like new. There are a few reasons why these instruments hold up so well:
The materials used
Due to the Little Ice Age from the 1300s to 1850s, the wood Stradivari used for his violins was denser. The type of wood used, along with its unique qualities, always changes the unique sound of a violin. This wood was also treated with various chemicals that are different from what we use today: higher amounts of aluminum, calcium, and copper were found in the wood he used.
Some have theorized that he used special ingredients in his varnish to create a character unlike what we hear from other violins, but scientific testing has shown that he used a very typical varnish, similar to what other Cremona makers used at the time.
Time
An important factor to note is that string instruments do tend to sound better with age. Playing an instrument helps it “open up”: the wood and other components vibrate against each other and settle in. Wood can also resonate differently as it ages, contributing to a better sound the longer it sits.
The maker
Antonio Stradivari was an expert violin maker, with immaculate attention to detail. He made truly great violins, and that’s not to be ignored!
Do Stradivarius Violins Sound Better than Others?
While Stradivarius violins are widely regarded as the highest quality, best-sounding violins, multiple studies have shown that many listeners can’t tell the difference between Stradivari violins, Guarneri (another very famous luthier), and modern violins.
All violin players have their own listening and playing preferences. A comparative study by Fritz et al (2017) showed that many violinists preferred the sound of modern violins over the sound of older ones, including those made by Stradivari and Guarneri.
The Most Famous Stradivarius Violins and Who Owns Them
Since Stradivari created over 900 violins in his lifetime, we’ve given nicknames to the ones that we still know today. Here are some of his most famous violins – “Strads”, and a bit about who owns them.
1697 Molitor Stradivarius – Anne Akiko Meyers
Our first of the most famous violins Stradivari produced comes from the very start of his Golden era. The Molitor violin was thought to be owned by Napoleon Bonaparte. However, it was actually just owned by a general in his army and stayed in his family until World War I.
From there on out, though, it has changed hands many times, from a man in Derry, Northern Ireland, to the Red Cross, to violinist Elmar Oliveira, to fellow violinist Albert I. Stern, and finally, it was bought for $3.4 million by Anne Akiko Meyers. What a history!
1713 Gibson ex-Huberman Stradivarius – Joshua Bell
This Strad was actually stolen twice! It was famously owned by violinist Bronisław Huberman and was stolen from his hotel room in 1919 but was returned after a few days. It was stolen again from his dressing room in 1936 but was never returned to him.
It was recovered in 1988, sold to Amadeus Quartet violinist Norbert Brainin, and then sold to Joshua Bell, its current owner, in 2001. It’s now estimated to be worth $14 million!
1714 Dolphin Stradivarius – Nippon Music Foundation / Ray Chen
This Strad violin was named for the wave design on its back. While this fine instrument was formerly played and owned by Jascha Heifetz, it’s now owned by Nippon Music Foundation, who is loaning it to Ray Chen.
1714 Soil Stradivarius – Itzhak Perlman
The Soil violin is considered one of the finest of Stradivari’s instruments. It’s named after industrialist Amédéé Soil, who owned it from 1874-1911. This violin was made during Stradivari’s Golden period and has a lovely red varnish. The back is in two parts, with wood flames that meet in the middle.
The Soil Strad was played by Yehudi Menuhin from 1950-1986, and then bought by Itzhak Perlman immediately after. Watch him talk about finding his instrument above!
1714 Messiah Stradivarius – Ashmolean Museum
The Messiah Stradivari violin is one of the only by this maker that is still in a “like new” condition. This violin is never played and is currently on exhibit in the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford. The fingerboard was lengthened in the 19th century to keep up with modern form, and the pegs, soundpost, and bridge were all replaced as well, as they’re parts that do wear out over time.
This particular violin was never sold by Antonio Stradivari during his lifetime; it must’ve been very special to him. It was finally sold by his youngest son, Paoulo, in 1775. It eventually got into the hands of another of the most famous violin makers, Jean Baptiste Vuillaume, in 1854.
Vuillaume was very proud of this addition to his collection of musical instruments, but he really never got it out or played it. His nephew exclaimed, “Your violin is like the Messiah… one always expects him but he never appears.” This violin has had its nickname ever since!
1715 Lipinski Stradivarius – Anschuetz family / Frank Almond
Another violin that was made during the golden period, the Lipinski, was famously owned by Giuseppe Tartini, who wrote his “Devil’s Trill Sonata” specifically for this instrument and its power. It’s currently on loan to Frank Almond, concertmaster of the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra. Take a few minutes to watch him play the Devil’s Trill Sonata above, on the instrument it was written for!
This violin was actually stolen from him in an armed robbery after a concert, but it was found and returned a few days later. As you can see, these Strad instruments have a turbulent history!
1721 Lady Blunt Stradivarius – Unknown owner
This particular violin was named after Lord Byron’s daughter Lady Anne Blunt. This is one of the most well-cared-for Stradivari violins left and is almost never played, except when Yehudi Menuhin demonstrated it for an audition in 1971. It was most recently bought by an anonymous bidder for $15.9 million in 2011.
1721 Red Mendelssohn Stradivarius – Elizabeth Pitcairn
The Red Mendelssohn violin got its nickname partly due to its red varnish, and partly because it was bought by descendants of composer Felix Mendelssohn in 1930. In 1990, it was sold to violinist Elizabeth Pitcairn’s family, and she plays on it today.
Its whereabouts were unknown from its making until 1930, which inspired the movie “The Red Violin”. Above, you can watch Elizabeth Pitcairn play an excerpt from the movie suite that was inspired by her own Stradivarius instrument!
1727 Kreutzer Stradivarius – Maxim Vengerov
This violin was named after Rudolphe Kreutzer, who wrote very popular violin etudes, and was the dedicatee of Beethoven’s ninth Violin Sonata. It’s now owned by famous violinist Maxim Vengerov. Watch him play the Kreutzer Sonata on his Kreutzer violin above!
How to know if a Violin is a Genuine Stradivarius
A Genuine Stradivarius violin has the label “Antonius Stradivarius Cremonensis Faciebat Anno <year>” but the label itself isn’t enough to tell if a violin is an actual Strad.
Musical instruments made by Stradivari are very rare and get a huge price tag(!) due to supply and demand and market value. You may see people advertising “Stradivarius violins” on Facebook Marketplace or eBay for $100-$1,000 bearing labels that say Stradivarius, but these are very, very unlikely to be true Stradivarius label violins.
After Stradivari, other makers would build violins, violas, and cellos in his style. If an instrument is a “copy” of another famous maker’s design, they’ll add the famous maker’s name to the label inside the left f hole of the violin as an homage.
So, you’ll sometimes see modern violins that say “Stradivarius” on the label. These are just copies of his violin design. You’ll usually also find the country the violin was produced in, along with the true violin maker’s name and the year it was made on the label.
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Of the 1,116 or so instruments Stradivari produced, 960 were violins, and between 450-500 still exist today. These violins have gone through many trials and tribulations as everyone wants to get their hands on these exquisite instruments!
Have you ever heard or seen a Stradivarius violin in concert or a museum? Please share your story in the comments below!
If you enjoyed learning about these iconic instruments, I think you might also like these 12 interesting facts about the violin. Or, if you prefer, learn about the other famous violin makers!
