So, you found a rare Stradivarius in your attic!

We receive numerous e-mail messages every week from people who have inherited or purchased a rare antique "Stradivarius" violin.

We do not wish to disappoint you unnecessarily but we need to share some information with you to help you judge your course of action.

Well before the twentieth century, manufacturers of violins were producing tens of thousands of violins annually labeled "Antonius Stradivarius, Cremonenfis, Faciebat Anno 17" with the initials A and S enclosed in a circle.

These manufacturers operated in commercial centers such as Bubenreuth, Markneukirchen, Mirecourt, just to mention a few and mass produced these instruments in part by hand or completely by machine and labeled them after the instrument maker they were copying. After 1950, millions of these instruments were manufactured worldwide in Bulgaria, Czecholovakia, Rumania, Japan, Taiwan and China.

Antonio Stradivarius and his two sons are believed to have made more than 1000 instruments during their life time half of which are thought to be still in existence. It is known that many were destroyed by wars, fire or floods, in plane or ship accidents. The few instruments which remain are quite well known by violin experts.

To determine whether your instrument is a "genuine Stradivarius" or not, you are welcome to consult a violin expert. Such experts may be found among members of the American Federation of Violin and Bow Makers who are listed on the society's website. These experts may often charge a fee for their time and opinion. The odds that you have found a genuine antique Stradivarius will be very slim indeed. We suggest that you keep your expectations low and still enjoy your violin for what it is and not more.