The ''Jupiter Stradivarius'' is a
violin
The violin, sometimes referred to as a fiddle, is a wooden chordophone, and is the smallest, and thus highest-pitched instrument (soprano) in regular use in the violin family. Smaller violin-type instruments exist, including the violino picc ...
constructed in 1700 by
luthier
A luthier ( ; ) is a craftsperson who builds or repairs string instruments.
Etymology
The word ' is originally French and comes from ''luth'', the French word for "lute". The term was originally used for makers of lutes, but it came to be ...
Antonio Stradivari
Antonio Stradivari (, also , ; – 18 December 1737) was an Italian luthier and a craftsman of string instruments such as violins, cellos, guitars, violas and harps. The Latinisation of names, Latinized form of his surname, ''Stradivarius'', a ...
of
Cremona
Cremona ( , , ; ; ) is a city and (municipality) in northern Italy, situated in Lombardy, on the left bank of the Po (river), Po river in the middle of the Po Valley. It is the capital of the province of Cremona and the seat of the local city a ...
. It is one of only 700 extant Stradivari instruments in the world today.
The ''Jupiter'' was once owned and played by virtuoso
violin
The violin, sometimes referred to as a fiddle, is a wooden chordophone, and is the smallest, and thus highest-pitched instrument (soprano) in regular use in the violin family. Smaller violin-type instruments exist, including the violino picc ...
ist
Giovanni Battista Viotti
Giovanni Battista Viotti (12 May 1755 – 3 March 1824) was an Italian violinist whose virtuosity was famed and whose work as a composer featured a prominent violin and an appealing lyrical tunefulness. He was also a director of French and Italia ...
.
The Jupiter Strad is an instrument used as a pattern for violin makers. It has a fine grained front and retains much of its original varnish. The neck has been replaced 5 times and the radii of the neck are smaller than one might expect on a neck, The join to the original scroll is almost indetectable. The top of the scroll appears narrower than that of the Gibson Strad but the difference in measurement is probably negligible. The back of the scroll is worn away from friction with the case during transportation, proving that this has been a working violin for more three centuries.
See also
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Stradivarius
A Stradivarius is one of the string instruments, such as violins, violas, cellos, and guitars, crafted by members of the Stradivari family, particularly Antonio Stradivari (Latin: Antonius Stradivarius), in Cremona, Italy, during the late 17th ...
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Jupiter, ex-Goding Stradivarius
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Viotti Stradivarius
References
1700 works
Stradivari violins
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