Henry Ford’s Classical Violins

Violin, 1703 Antonio Stradivari Cremona, Italy . 33.250.2

Antonio Stradivari (circa 1644-1737) was the leading stringed-instrument maker in Cremona, Italy—an important center of stringed instrument production—from the 1680s until the 1730s.  Ford’s 1703 Stradivari violin was made during Stradivari’s “golden era” (1700-1720), a period which saw the creation of violins of extremely high quality and exquisite precision.  Ford’s violin was once owned by Sir William Curtis (1752 – 1829), who served as Lord Mayor of London from 1795 to 1796.