Stradivarius found above chicken coop

[SJM]

Stradivarius found above chicken coop
Ananova ^ | 2/8/2006 | Staff


An elderly Hungarian is set to become a millionaire after finding a
priceless Stradivarius violin hidden above his chicken coop.

Imre Horvath, 68, makes a living from the poultry and egss he sells
from his home on a smallholding, near Debrecen.

He believes the violin was hidden in the roof space by his musician
father, Zoltan, before he went off to fight in the war.

Zoltan was killed in the war and never had a chance to tell his family
where the instrument was hidden, reports Debreceni Napelo.

He built the house in the 1920s and lived there with his family until
he was called up to fight, and never returned.

Imre said he had no use for the instrument, and had taken it to an
expert in Debrecen to have it valued because it looked like it was
particularly good quality.

He said: "They were very excited - but sent me to the capital to have
their findings checked, and they confirmed the violin was made by the
famous 17th century Italian instrument maker Antonio Stradivari.

"I was delighted but then terrified because I have nowhere I can keep
the violin in my little house, I just want to sell it as soon as
possible and put the money in the bank. Then I can relax."

Only about 650 genuine Stradivarius violins are believed to exist today
and one recently sold in the US for more than £1million.


http://www.ananova.com/news/story/sm_1715784.html?menu=news.quirkies

[t***@hotmail.com]

I wonder how improbable that this is a real Stradivarius or will we
find out sometime later it is a good fake. Probably more improbable
than some peasant kid making it to an international competition in
Beijing. :)))

How much does a chicken coop go for these days in Hungary?

Tien

[[e-mail]]

Have all the Strads been accounted for or are there a few "lost" instruments
waiting to be found?

Astrid.

"SJM" <***@hotmail.com> wrote in message news:***@f14g2000cwb.googlegroups.com...
Stradivarius found above chicken coop
Ananova ^ | 2/8/2006 | Staff


An elderly Hungarian is set to become a millionaire after finding a
priceless Stradivarius violin hidden above his chicken coop.

Imre Horvath, 68, makes a living from the poultry and egss he sells
from his home on a smallholding, near Debrecen.

He believes the violin was hidden in the roof space by his musician
father, Zoltan, before he went off to fight in the war.

Zoltan was killed in the war and never had a chance to tell his family
where the instrument was hidden, reports Debreceni Napelo.

He built the house in the 1920s and lived there with his family until
he was called up to fight, and never returned.

Imre said he had no use for the instrument, and had taken it to an
expert in Debrecen to have it valued because it looked like it was
particularly good quality.

He said: "They were very excited - but sent me to the capital to have
their findings checked, and they confirmed the violin was made by the
famous 17th century Italian instrument maker Antonio Stradivari.

"I was delighted but then terrified because I have nowhere I can keep
the violin in my little house, I just want to sell it as soon as
possible and put the money in the bank. Then I can relax."

Only about 650 genuine Stradivarius violins are believed to exist today
and one recently sold in the US for more than £1million.


http://www.ananova.com/news/story/sm_1715784.html?menu=news.quirkies

[J. Teske]

Post by ***@storm.ca
Have all the Strads been accounted for or are there a few "lost" instruments
waiting to be found?

In theory, most are accounted for. Strad is estimated to have had an
output of about 1100 instruments. Most of these have pedigrees because
Stradivari had an upscale clientele. He made for Kings and Dukes and
the like. He was rather famous in his own lifetime.Royalty sent their
agents to Cremona specifically to buy Strads for royal court
orchestras. Most Strads have been documented many times over since
most passed through the hands of famous dealers such as Vuilluame,
Hill, Wurltizer et al. There have now been dendrochronology studies
made of Stradivari's wood (the study of the growth pattern of trees,
and of the wood in old objects such as violins. Since the pattern of
growth e.g. wet years, dry years is well known and documented for
European forests, it will be possible to tell if the wood in this
violin could plausibly come from Stradivari's supply. Its kinda like
a wood DNA test in effect. The demise of most of the 450 or so
casualties is also pretty well known. They have been lost in fires,
floods, wars, cannibalization for parts, more recently at least two
have been lost in plane crashes (Violinists Ginette Neveu in the
Azores in 1949...she died in the same plane crash as boxer Marcel
Cerdan) and Jaques Thibaud in the Alps in 1953.) Both had Strads
although I have also read the Neveu's was by Omobono Stradivari, the
son of Antonio. There are a few "hot" violins out there, notably the
Strad played by 20 century virtuosa Erica Morini which was stolen from
her New York apartment shortly before she died. She was over 90 and
senile when she died. [Some think is was an inside job]. Since such a
violin was so well known and often photographed it would be difficult
to dispose of it without detection. Another was stolen from Pierre
Amoyal although it was later recovered.

I haven't kept up with this lately, but I do remember reading that
as of the Mid-20th century there had only been one genuiine attic
Strad found in the previous 100 years and that was from the attic of a
nobleman's castle.

Other than the stolen violins, I am not aware of any "list" of
long-lost Strads awaiting discovery. It will be interesting to see
how this case comes out. I suspect it will be reported in the violin
press e.g. The Strad and Strings.

I can assure you that no pedigree will be established on the basis of
some "expert" in Budapest. For this man to sell the violin, it will
have to be determined that it is not "hot" and that it will pass the
muster of experts in New York and London as to its authenticity.

Jon

Post by ***@storm.ca
Astrid.
Stradivarius found above chicken coop
Ananova ^ | 2/8/2006 | Staff
An elderly Hungarian is set to become a millionaire after finding a
priceless Stradivarius violin hidden above his chicken coop.
Imre Horvath, 68, makes a living from the poultry and egss he sells
from his home on a smallholding, near Debrecen.
He believes the violin was hidden in the roof space by his musician
father, Zoltan, before he went off to fight in the war.
Zoltan was killed in the war and never had a chance to tell his family
where the instrument was hidden, reports Debreceni Napelo.
He built the house in the 1920s and lived there with his family until
he was called up to fight, and never returned.
Imre said he had no use for the instrument, and had taken it to an
expert in Debrecen to have it valued because it looked like it was
particularly good quality.
He said: "They were very excited - but sent me to the capital to have
their findings checked, and they confirmed the violin was made by the
famous 17th century Italian instrument maker Antonio Stradivari.
"I was delighted but then terrified because I have nowhere I can keep
the violin in my little house, I just want to sell it as soon as
possible and put the money in the bank. Then I can relax."
Only about 650 genuine Stradivarius violins are believed to exist today
and one recently sold in the US for more than £1million.
http://www.ananova.com/news/story/sm_1715784.html?menu=news.quirkies

[[e-mail]]

Thanks for the interesting history lesson, Jon! Always a pleasure.

Now about that book I suggested you write...

Astrid.

Post by J. Teske

Post by ***@storm.ca
Have all the Strads been accounted for or are there a few "lost" instruments
waiting to be found?

In theory, most are accounted for. Strad is estimated to have had an
output of about 1100 instruments. Most of these have pedigrees because
Stradivari had an upscale clientele. He made for Kings and Dukes and
the like. He was rather famous in his own lifetime.Royalty sent their
agents to Cremona specifically to buy Strads for royal court
orchestras. Most Strads have been documented many times over since
most passed through the hands of famous dealers such as Vuilluame,
Hill, Wurltizer et al. There have now been dendrochronology studies
made of Stradivari's wood (the study of the growth pattern of trees,
and of the wood in old objects such as violins. Since the pattern of
growth e.g. wet years, dry years is well known and documented for
European forests, it will be possible to tell if the wood in this
violin could plausibly come from Stradivari's supply. Its kinda like
a wood DNA test in effect. The demise of most of the 450 or so
casualties is also pretty well known. They have been lost in fires,
floods, wars, cannibalization for parts, more recently at least two
have been lost in plane crashes (Violinists Ginette Neveu in the
Azores in 1949...she died in the same plane crash as boxer Marcel
Cerdan) and Jaques Thibaud in the Alps in 1953.) Both had Strads
although I have also read the Neveu's was by Omobono Stradivari, the
son of Antonio. There are a few "hot" violins out there, notably the
Strad played by 20 century virtuosa Erica Morini which was stolen from
her New York apartment shortly before she died. She was over 90 and
senile when she died. [Some think is was an inside job]. Since such a
violin was so well known and often photographed it would be difficult
to dispose of it without detection. Another was stolen from Pierre
Amoyal although it was later recovered.
I haven't kept up with this lately, but I do remember reading that
as of the Mid-20th century there had only been one genuiine attic
Strad found in the previous 100 years and that was from the attic of a
nobleman's castle.
Other than the stolen violins, I am not aware of any "list" of
long-lost Strads awaiting discovery. It will be interesting to see
how this case comes out. I suspect it will be reported in the violin
press e.g. The Strad and Strings.
I can assure you that no pedigree will be established on the basis of
some "expert" in Budapest. For this man to sell the violin, it will
have to be determined that it is not "hot" and that it will pass the
muster of experts in New York and London as to its authenticity.
Jon

Post by ***@storm.ca
Astrid.
Stradivarius found above chicken coop
Ananova ^ | 2/8/2006 | Staff
An elderly Hungarian is set to become a millionaire after finding a
priceless Stradivarius violin hidden above his chicken coop.
Imre Horvath, 68, makes a living from the poultry and egss he sells
from his home on a smallholding, near Debrecen.
He believes the violin was hidden in the roof space by his musician
father, Zoltan, before he went off to fight in the war.
Zoltan was killed in the war and never had a chance to tell his family
where the instrument was hidden, reports Debreceni Napelo.
He built the house in the 1920s and lived there with his family until
he was called up to fight, and never returned.
Imre said he had no use for the instrument, and had taken it to an
expert in Debrecen to have it valued because it looked like it was
particularly good quality.
He said: "They were very excited - but sent me to the capital to have
their findings checked, and they confirmed the violin was made by the
famous 17th century Italian instrument maker Antonio Stradivari.
"I was delighted but then terrified because I have nowhere I can keep
the violin in my little house, I just want to sell it as soon as
possible and put the money in the bank. Then I can relax."
Only about 650 genuine Stradivarius violins are believed to exist today
and one recently sold in the US for more than £1million.
http://www.ananova.com/news/story/sm_1715784.html?menu=news.quirkies

[Peter Schug]

Post by ***@storm.ca
Have all the Strads been accounted for or are there a few "lost" instruments
waiting to be found?
Astrid.

Strad is supposed to have made something like 1,200 violins and a bit more
than half of them are accounted for. Also there are a number of known lost
or destroyed instruments. (by lost I mean things like being aboard a ship
that was sunk)

Most likely there are not too many that still exist but are unknown.

This story is not totally improbable, just unlikely. They know that the
instrument was deliberately hidden (assuming no hoax) but what surprises me
is that it could survive in good condition after sixty years without care.

If the story is true, that is.

Pete

Post by ***@storm.ca
Stradivarius found above chicken coop
Ananova ^ | 2/8/2006 | Staff
An elderly Hungarian is set to become a millionaire after finding a
priceless Stradivarius violin hidden above his chicken coop.
Imre Horvath, 68, makes a living from the poultry and egss he sells
from his home on a smallholding, near Debrecen.
He believes the violin was hidden in the roof space by his musician
father, Zoltan, before he went off to fight in the war.
Zoltan was killed in the war and never had a chance to tell his family
where the instrument was hidden, reports Debreceni Napelo.
He built the house in the 1920s and lived there with his family until
he was called up to fight, and never returned.
Imre said he had no use for the instrument, and had taken it to an
expert in Debrecen to have it valued because it looked like it was
particularly good quality.
He said: "They were very excited - but sent me to the capital to have
their findings checked, and they confirmed the violin was made by the
famous 17th century Italian instrument maker Antonio Stradivari.
"I was delighted but then terrified because I have nowhere I can keep
the violin in my little house, I just want to sell it as soon as
possible and put the money in the bank. Then I can relax."
Only about 650 genuine Stradivarius violins are believed to exist today
and one recently sold in the US for more than £1million.
http://www.ananova.com/news/story/sm_1715784.html?menu=news.quirkies

[r***@gmail.com]

hola tengo un antonius stradivarius violin made in czechoslovakia Faciebat Anno 1713 quisiera saber cuanto es el valor de ese instrumento