Instruments Owned by Nippon Music Foundation

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Stradivarius

Stradivarius 1710 Violin

“Camposelice”

  • “Camposelice”
  • “Camposelice”

History

The name of this violin is derived from the Duke of Camposelice of France, who was an excellent amateur and formed a fine instrument collection. This violin belonged to an amateur player named Tauzia living in provincial France from whom the Duke of Camposelice purchased it in around 1884 via Gand et Bernardel of Paris. In 1889, W. E. Hill & Sons purchased this violin from the Duchess, and in the following year sold it to an amateur, Captain John Audley Harvey residing in Bedfordshire, England. In 1894, the violin was sold to Mrs. J. L. Gardner, who founded the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston, and from her, it passed into the hands of the composer and violinist Charles Martin Loeffler (1861-1935) who played and kept the violin until 1927. In 1929, the violin passed into the hands of Mr. Ralph H. Norton of Chicago through Rudolph Wurlitzer Co. of New York. In 1930, via prominent dealer Emil Herrmann in New York, it went to Dr. Kühne who owned a collection of Stradivarius quartet. In 1937, this violin was exhibited at the prestigious Cremona Exhibition of Instruments as part of Dr. Kühne’s collection. After Dr. Kühne, it was in the possession of a Czech violinist Váša Příhoda (1900-1960) by 1949, and then of Mr. Bernard Goldblatt in 1968. It was then sold to Mr. Joseph Deliège in 1977 by J & A Beare Ltd. Later in the 20th century, it passed into the hands of a Belgian amateur player who kept it for over thirty years until his death. It is from his heir that Nippon Music Foundation acquired this instrument in September 2004.

Feature

The back, in two pieces, is of handsome maple marked by a broad curl slanting downwards from the joint. That of the sides is similar. The scroll is with more regular curl. The table is of excellent spruce, the grain is narrow at the center and opening out at the flanks. The varnish is of an orange-red color. The internal condition is original and untouched.

Certificate

Stradivarius 1710 Violin “Camposelice”

November 16, 2004 W. E. Hill, to Nippon Music Foundation
September 6, 2004 W. E. Hill
August 31, 2004 Jean-Jacques Rampal, to Nippon Music Foundation
November 22, 1977 John & Arthur Beare, to Joseph Deliege
July 17, 1894 W. E. Hill & Sons, to Mrs. Gardner

Reference

Stradivarius 1710 Violin “Camposelice”

November 16, 2004 W. E. Hill, History letter to Nippon Music Foundation
July 7, 2004 Andrew Hill, Report to Nippon Music Foundation
March 3, 1930 Alfred Hill, History letter to Dr. Kuhne
June 6, 1890 Duchesse de Camposelice, Letter to Alfred Hill

“Violin Iconography of Antonio Stradivari: 1644-1737” by H. K. Goodkind (P397)
“How Many Strads?” by Doring (P157)
1937 Cremona Exhibition Catalogue (P83)

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