This illustration of a Domenica Montagana violin was published in The Strad, June 1912. The following text is extracted from the article accompanying the photographs:

Of all the fiddles whose pictures have appeared in The Strad I can recall none to which that much abused word ‘unique’ can be more fitly applied than the charming example of this maker’s most highly finished work.

The tone, considering the size of the fiddle, is wonderful, and one marvels that such a volume of sound can possibly be evoked from a 13 ¾ inch specimen. The sides measure 1 1/8 to 1 3/16 inches full, and the width across the lower bouts is 7 7/8.

The outline is of much elegance, the arching fairly pronounced, but not overdone, and the head, as always with this great maker, a fine, bold piece of carving.

Montagana was noted for his choice of material, and in this respect the specimen is fully up to standard. The instrument is in fine preservation, and is still well covered with the master’s glorious varnish, of a reddish golden hue or extraordinary transparency and lustre.

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