Stradivari's Tone and System--Those of His Pupils and Assistants--Qualities of Tone Produced in Different Localities 56 CHAPTER VIII. The Reputed Golden Period of Stradivari Late in Life--His Later Modifications of Design--Signs of Old Age Appearing--The Help He Received 70 CHAPTER IX. Evidences in Stradivari's Work of Old Age--His Death and Burial--Work Left by Him--The Advance in Value of His Work Since His Decease 79 LIST OF PLATES. PORTRAIT OF HORACE PETHERICK _Frontispiece_. PORTRAIT OF ANTONIO STRADIVARI _To face page_ 1 THE HOUSE OF STRADIVARI " " 4 STRADIVARI'S WORKSHOP " " 6 PATTERNS OF VIOLINS _page_ 6 ILLUSTRATIONS OF SOUNDHOLES _To face page_ 48 ILLUSTRATIONS OF SCROLLS, FIG. _a._ " " 50 " " " FIG. _b._ " " 52 " " " FIG. _c._ " " 54 " " " FIG. _d._ " " 56 CHURCH OF ST. DOMENICO, CREMONA " " 80 PREFACE. It was in the month of April, 1898, when THE STRAD monthly magazine had completed its eighth year of issue, that the Editor Suggested that then might be an appropriate time for giving a biographical sketch of the great Cremonese master in serial form, expressed in a manner interesting and instructive as possible. With this view I took up the subject with some enthusiasm and proposed to work upon lines which I believed to be bound by truth. All references to peculiarities in connection with Stradivari's designs, construction and purposes should be the result of my own personal observation during many years of experience as connoisseur and expert. In formulating my results of study of a great number--possibly the majority--of the instruments of the master extant--I have abstained as far as possible from using technical terms not readily comprehended by a reader coming newly to the subject, and I trust all persons reading through the matter now collected, added to, and presented in book form, will find their time not mis-spent at least when they arrive at the conclusion. HORACE PETHERICK. Croydon. INTRODUCTION.