FAMOUS VIOLLN TO GO TO Till EXITED STATES.

Hokitika Guardian, 17 November 1923, Page 4

FAMOUS VIOLLN TO GO TO Till EXITED STATES.

I.oXDOX. Oct. A Unions Stradivarius violin, known as tlie "Betts Strad,” is to leave England for the Enited States. It Jins been purchased, together with 21l other old masters, for a sum of £o!i,00li. for the past 20 years the Betts Strati has been in the possession of Mr H. C. \\ addell. a Glasgow millionaire meat packer, and he disposed of his collection to Mr J. G. Freeman, an American expert on violins.

'!i' I' reeman takes his famous istrab over to America on Saturday on hoard the Mauretania, lie lias been nogotint in;: lor many months to buy the iii-tru mont, hut Mr Waddell would not part with it unli'ss i lie rest of his t olloftioa "ere ineiuded. 'file purchase price create' a record.

, Included in the collection i' another i famous violin, although not of quite siah historic value a' the Betts Strad It is the l.odue Ouarnerius. This iitltl!-. was at one time bought by Mine. Patti's i husband lor £ 1 .oil!I. lie disposed of it through a dealer to Mr Waddell. 1T,..' Betts Strad c-aine into tile Belts t':Bnily about 100 years ago, when it was brought by a member of the family from a poor servant for £l. It ha's changed hands many times since then. Anything from £5 to £2,000 lias been paid ior it. It was at the batter price that Mr A\ addell acquired it from a Paris dealer.

Mr Freeman stated yesterday that the instrument is valued at £30.000.