Produced by Linda Cantoni, David E. Brown, Bryan Ness and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net ANTONIO STRADIVARI. PRINTED BY E. SHORE AND CO., 3, GREEN TERRACE, ROSEBERY AVENUE, LONDON, E.C. [Illustration: HORACE PETHERICK.] _"THE STRAD" LIBRARY, No. VIII._ ANTONIO STRADIVARI, BY HORACE PETHERICK. _Of the Music Jury, International Inventions Exhibition, South Kensington, 1885; International Exhibition, Edinburgh, 1890; Expert in Law Courts, 1891; Vice-President of the Cremona Society._ COPYRIGHT. London: "THE STRAD" OFFICE, 3. GREEN TERRACE, ROSEBERY AVENUE, E.C. E. DONAJOWSKI, 26, CASTLE STREET, BERNERS STREET, W. D. R. DUNCAN, 186, FLEET STREET, E.C. 1900 CONTENTS. PAGE CHAPTER I. Date and Place of Birth of Antonio Stradivari--His Instructor in the Art of Violin Making--Peculiarity of His Early Work, Nothing Striking, but Slowly Progressive--Which of the Designs of His Master He was Most Impressed by, and His Own Modifications for Improvement--His Departure from the House of His Master Free to Carry Out His Own Inclinations 1 CHAPTER II. Details of Further Improvements upon His New Designs--Modification of the Soundholes--The Amati Varnish and Stradivari's--His Secrecy of Method in Working--His Knowledge of What was Wanted and Efforts at Advance in Tone Quality 8 CHAPTER III. The Date of the True Stradivarian Individuality--Alterations in Design--Proportions Settled for Good--The Exceptions--The "Long Strad"--The "Inlaid Strads"--An Acknowledged Master of His Art--Black Edging--The Arching and Channelling--The Brescians, the Amatis and Stradivari 13 CHAPTER IV. Lesser Known Patterns of Stradivari--The Treatment of the Scroll by Him--The Individuality and Maturing of the Style--The Purfling 19 CHAPTER V. Stradivari's Great Success--His So-called "Grand Epoch"--His Patrons--His Violins Reputed for Tone when Quite New and Sought After--The Help He Received--His Assistants and Pupils--Parts of the Work Requiring His Individual Touch--The Members of His Family who may have Assisted Him--Stradivari's Varnish--His Imitators 22 CHAPTER VI. Some Modifications in Stradivari's Works--Variation in Finish of Details--The Interior of His Violins--The Blocks and Linings--The Bar--Thicknesses of the Tables--Heads or Scrolls of His Different Periods 42 CHAPTER VII.