Stradivarius: determine the value

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The Stradivarius is arguably the most famous antique in the world. The violin maker from the 17th Century is still famous today for the perfection of its instruments. The violas are therefore of immense value.

The name Stradivarius would be inside.
The name Stradivarius would be inside. © segovax / Pixelio

Discover a Stradivarius

  • In short, the chances of spotting a real Stradivarius in the attic or a flea market are less than that of hitting the lottery jackpot.
  • The violin maker has built an estimated 1,100 instruments in the course of his professional life.
  • The current owner of 144 violins, 18 violas and 63 cellos is known. Numerous other instruments have been shown to have been destroyed.
  • The sound of the Stradivarius instruments is legendary. However, only professional musicians with perfect hearing manage to distinguish the sound of a Stradivarius from other instruments. Some modern violins can imitate the sound deceptively real, even for the professionals.

What constitutes the value of the instruments

  • The current value of a Stradivarius is measured, among other things, by its age. If it's real, it must have been built between 1680 and 1737. The highest quality violins date from 1690 to 1725.
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  • Each Stradivarius bears the signature of the violin maker and a year. You will discover this signature when you look inside the violin through one of the sound holes.
  • If the authenticity of the instrument is suspected, the composition of the lacquer and the wood can be checked. The grain can be used, for example, to determine whether the wood is old enough to confirm the registered year of construction.
  • Most Stradivarias are also made of a type of wood that has been infected with a certain type of mold. It is believed that this mold had a positive effect on the sound and thus the value of the instruments.
  • Finally, of course, the sound of the instrument is also important. If the vibrations of the sound body at the right frequencies show the perfection expected from the Stradivarius, the instrument can be worth up to 10 million euros. Finding this out on your own, however, will be nearly impossible.

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