All Historical articles
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FocusThe Strad Calendar 2026: 1710 ‘Meneses’ Matteo Gofriller cello
With a deep amber-brown varnish, this was for many years the principal performing instrument of cellist Antonio Meneses
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Premium ❘ FeatureHeroes of the Jazz Age: American bows in 1925
For many reasons, the 1920s saw the first great boom in American bow making. Raphael Gold tells the stories of some of the original US bow makers and examines examples of their work
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FocusThe Strad Calendar 2026: 1691 ‘Leopold Auer’ Antonio Stradivari violin
The instrument, with copious red-brown varnish, is named after one of the most important violin pedagogues who ever lived
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FocusThe Strad Calendar 2026: 1741 ‘Titan’ Guarneri ‘del Gesù’ violin
This fine example of Guarneri’s work has a back that may have been shaped by his father, Giuseppe Guarneri ‘filius Andreae’
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NewsPhoto gallery: Count Cozio di Salabue exhibition in Turin
The show dedicated to the Italian violin collector runs until 23 November at Turin’s Palazzo Madama
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Premium ❘ FeatureTieffenbrucker family: secret history
Stefano Pio delves into 16th-century records to discover how the Tieffenbrucker family of makers contributed to the international success of Italian lutherie – including one of the best-known names of the era
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Premium ❘ FeatureLutherie in Berlin: Berlin calling
While some European capitals have a well-documented history of violin making, Berlin has passed under the radar. Daniel Kogge looks at some of the German capital’s most prominent makers from the 18th century onwards
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Premium ❘ FeatureCharles Beare: 1937–2025
One of the world’s most renowned violin experts died on 26 April this year. Anne Inglis looks back at his life, while friends and colleagues share their memories
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Premium ❘ FeaturePower and majesty: Domenico Montagnana ‘Farina’ cello 1730
Made by Domenico Montagnana in 1730, the ‘Farina’ cello is a stunning instrument with a rich, powerful sound. John Waddle and Steve Sirr delve into its history and show how CT scans helped gather measurements for this month’s poster
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Premium ❘ FeaturePatent pending: instrument innovations in the 18th century
The 18th century saw an explosion in creativity from inventors trying to find the ‘next big thing’ in stringed instrument innovation. Rachael Durkin examines some of the artefacts from the dawn of the industrial age
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Premium ❘ FeatureBottesini’s bass makers: the Rossi family
The development of the double bass in 19th-century Milan owed a lot to the Rossi family. Thomas and George Martin investigate the lives of its members, and the innovations they brought to double bass design
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NewsRecord breaker: Library of Congress acquires ‘Tuscan-Medici’ Stradivari viola for $30 million
The 1690 instrument is one of less than a dozen surviving violas by the master luthier
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Premium ❘ FeatureLeading the way: the ‘Baron d’Erlanger’ Guarneri ‘del Gesù’ violin 1732
Guarneri ‘del Gesù’ made the 1732 ‘Baron d’Erlanger’ violin near the start of his most productive period. Florian Leonhard explores how it shows the maker’s early style and reveals the history of its most famous owner
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Premium ❘ FeatureDual accomplishments: the makers of Markneukirchen
The workshops of Markneukirchen and its environs made thousands of violins per year – but many were crafted by true artisans. Bruce Babbitt explains how these violins became the basis for a new book and exhibition charting their evolution
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Premium ❘ FeatureFranz Geissenhof: the Viennese Stradivari
Franz Geissenhof’s instruments have always been highly regarded, but how far was he influenced by his Cremonese predecessor? Rudolf Hopfner compares a typical Geissenhof violin with Stradivari’s work to find out
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Premium ❘ FeatureBow maker James Tubbs: London Calling
The British bow maker James Tubbs was born 190 years ago this month. John Basford looks back at his life, work and legacy to the bow making community
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Premium ❘ FeatureDance of the swans: the bows of Charles Nicolas Bazin
The Tourte-model bows by Charles Nicolas Bazin represent the pinnacle of elegance and refinement in the history of French bow making. To celebrate the 150th anniversary of the swan-head model, Richard Morency examines some of the finest examples
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Premium ❘ Feature‘Master of the violin, artist of the soul’: Władysław Baczyński
Władysław Baczyński overcame a life of tragedy to become one of Poland’s most highly regarded 20th-century violin makers. Grzegorz Kaproń tells his story
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BlogsThe Giorgis family of violin makers: a response
Philip Kass gives his thoughts on Claudio Amighetti’s investigation into the lives of Turin maker Nicola Giorgis and his daughter Francesca Maria, published in the November 2024 issue
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FeatureThe Weidhaas–Finkel bow making dynasty: an exclusive close-up look at the family’s output
In the December 2024 issue, Gennady Filimonov tells the story of the Weidhaas and Finkel bow making families. Here he examines several bows by three of the dynasty’s best-known archetiers
