All articles by Christian Lloyd
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FocusThe Strad Calendar 2026: 1712 ‘Viotti, Hottinger’ Antonio Stradivari violin
’The noble beauty of its tone seems to us to echo the elevated style of Viotti’s compositions’ said the Hills of this violin
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FocusThe Strad Calendar 2026: 1767 Nicolò Gagliano cello
Formerly owned by Roger Smith of the Gagliano Trio, this fine example of Gagliano’s work is now played by Thomas Mesa
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FocusThe Strad Calendar 2026: 1713 ‘G. Schönau’ Antonio Stradivari violin
This fascinating example of Stradivari’s work is played by Nikki Chooi, the current concertmaster of the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra
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FocusThe Strad Calendar 2026: 1741 ‘Bohrer, Baumgartner’ Guarneri ‘del Gesù’ violin
Currently played by Kerson Leong, this is an ‘outstanding concert instrument in excellent condition’
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FocusThe Strad Calendar 2026: 1699 ‘Dubois’ Antonio Stradivari cello
With a fine red-brown varnish, this cello may have been made with wood from the same tree as the famed ’Cristiani, Stauffer’
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FocusThe Strad Calendar 2026: 1773–78 ‘Crafoord’ Guadagnini viola
The back of this viola is made from two pieces of bird’s-eye maple cut on the slab, with a faint figure running more or less horizontally
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FocusThe Strad Calendar 2026: 1727 ‘Eugenio di Barbaro’ Stradivari violin
Made during the tail end of the master luthier’s life, this instrument also displays the hands of his sons Omobono and Francesco
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FocusThe Strad Calendar 2026: 1785 Guadagnini violin
Played by Émilie Auclair, this is one of the last instruments to be made by Guadagnini, who died a year later
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FocusThe Strad Calendar 2026: 1710 ‘Meneses’ Matteo Gofriller cello
With a deep amber-brown varnish, this was for many years the principal performing instrument of cellist Antonio Meneses
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FocusThe Strad Calendar 2026: 1691 ‘Leopold Auer’ Antonio Stradivari violin
The instrument, with copious red-brown varnish, is named after one of the most important violin pedagogues who ever lived
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FocusThe Strad Calendar 2026: 1741 ‘Titan’ Guarneri ‘del Gesù’ violin
This fine example of Guarneri’s work has a back that may have been shaped by his father, Giuseppe Guarneri ‘filius Andreae’
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FocusThe Strad Calendar 2025: 1717 ‘Windsor, Weinstein’ Stradivari violin
The first Stradivari violin to be given to the Canada Council’s Musical Instrument Bank, it remains in top-class condition
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FocusThe Strad Calendar 2025: 1730 ‘Newland’ Giovanni Francesco Celoniato cello
One of only eight cellos known to be made by the Turin-based luthier, it is named after Canadian cellist Christine Newland
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BlogsHow to photograph violins: Tarisio’s Robert Bailey speaks to the VSA
The auction house’s head photographer gives details on his camera set-up, lighting, studio layout and the different requirements of front, side, back and scroll shots
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BlogsViolin trivia: Can you beat the VSA’s top brains?
Test your violin knowledge with some of the questions from the VSA convention’s Trivia Night on Monday 18 November
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BlogsWhere the wood came from: Peter Ratcliff speaks to the VSA
The British dendrochronology expert explains his latest research, revealing how wood from one source can appear in centuries-old instruments made thousands of miles apart
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FocusThe Strad Calendar 2025: 1820 Giovanni Francesco Pressenda violin
Possibly the first instrument ever made by Pressenda, it boasts a two-piece back of slightly burled quarter-cut maple
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BlogsViolin Society of America’s 50th convention kicks off in Indianapolis
Exhibitions, lectures and demonstrations were all in evidence on the first day of proceedings
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FocusThe Strad Calendar 2025: c.1696 ‘Bonjour’ Antonio Stradivari cello
A beautiful instrument with plentiful red–brown varnish, it has been played by Robert Cohen, Martin Lovett and others
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FocusThe Strad Calendar 2025: 1747 ‘Palmason’ Gennaro Gagliano violin
Named for Canadian violinist Pearl Palmason, the violin has a back of one piece of maple with broad figure
