The page presents United States v. One Stradivarius Violin, 188 F.542 (S.D.N.Y. 1911), a U.S. District Court case from May 8, 1911, involving forfeiture of a Stradivarius violin imported without duty payment. Key parties include UNITED STATES v. ONE STRADIVARIUS VIOLIN, with Judge Holt presiding; Henry A. Wise (U.S. Attorney) and Parsons Closson & McIlvaine represent claimants. The case centers on whether the suit was barred by the statute of limitations under the Customs Revenue Laws (three-year limitation).
The article discusses Paul Becker of Carl Becker & Son in Chicago, a fifth-generation luthier whose violins, violas, and cellos sell for $36,000 or more. It traces the Becker family lineage back to Herman Macklett and Carl G. Becker, notes the shop's location on Michigan Avenue, mentions Rachel Barton Pine as a violinist connected to a Becker instrument, and references a forthcoming ABC7 Chicago documentary about a stolen $3,000,000 violin.
The Violin Channel reports that luthier Padraig O’Dubhlaoidh built the first vegan violin, free of animal products, in his Malvern Hills workshop during the COVID-19 lockdown. The instrument’s edge inlay used poplar and steamed pear dyed black, with wild berries and spring water used for purfling; the violin is the first to be registered with the Vegan Society trademark.
The page presents a Vittorio Villa violin from Cremona 2011, titled “Louise,” described as a copy of the Hellier Stradivari. It includes maker information for Vittorio Villa and an embedded YouTube violin demonstration; the instrument’s status is Sold and several body specifications are listed.
The article discusses Casa Stradivari Foundation founded by Fabrizio von Arx with Antonio Gambardella and Stefania Soldi to renovate the last workshop of Antonio Stradivari in Cremona, Italy. The project aims to reopen the house as a site of violin history with exhibition space, library, music room, conference room, and listening/viewing areas, with completion targeted for November 2022.
Lena Yokoyama, a world-famous Japanese violinist, will perform at the Italian Cultural Institute Abu Dhabi to mark the first public exhibition of a Stradivarius violin in the UAE, featuring a Golden Bell 1668 violin by Antonio Stradivari. The event includes a 15-minute performance starting at 5:30 pm on February 22 and is free to attend.