ANOTHER “STRAD”?

Dominion, Volume 28, Issue 95, 16 January 1935, Page 10

ANOTHER “STRAD”?

Wellington Man’s Violin CHILDREN’S PLAYTHING Another Wellington man has joined the legion of hopeful owners of Stradivarius violins—genuine and otherwise. He is Mr. W. J. Jackson, who was prompted to bring his “Strad" to light by the report in Saturday’s "Dominion” of the finding at Upper Hutt of what is believed to lie an instrument made by tbp famous maker himself. At the time of finding that the violin bore a “Strad” label, Mr. Jackson refused to entertain tiie hope that lie possessed a genuine instrument. Years passed and the violin was relegated to the obscurity of a children’s plaything. With its two broken strings, dust stained and slightly marked surface, the instrument, seemed doomed to go the way of all discarded toys. Then the recent announcement in “Tiie Dominion” of the discovery at Upper Hutt, and the letter to ‘The Dominion” from a correspondent who wrote as a hopeful owner, impelled Mr. Jackson to a closer examination of his instrument, and the first rubbing for many a day was given to the dusty surfaces. Tiie violin, which was brought into “The Dominion” yesterday, and a photograph of which is reproduced on the illustrations page this morning, possesses attractive qualities. Its graceful lines and delicate moulding suggest, careful, expert construction, and the veneered surfaces suggest much use in some bygone period. The wood is delicately grained, and in its heyday must have boasted a perfect polish. The following is the wording on tiie label': “Antonins Stradivarius Creinonensis Faciebat Anno 1730,” a small symbol, black circle containing initials “A.S.” surmounted by a small black cross, being at tiie right end of the worded motto. According to Mr. Jackson, tiie tone is mellow and sweet. “That has always been an exceptional characteristic,” he