National Music Museum augments its Amati collection

A Brothers Amati violin made in 1595 for the king of France is to go on display at the National Music Museum in Vermillion, South Dakota. The violin is decorated with the coat of arms of King Henry IV, ruler of France and Navarre, who was assassinated 400 years ago this month. The instrument will join others by the Amati family in the museum's collection, including two violins, a viola and a cello by Andrea Amati, three violins by Girolamo Amati, and a violin by Nicolò Amati. The 'King Henry IV' violin was bought for the museum from the Wisconsin-based Copernicus Cultural Foundation by a member of the museum's board of trustees.