From the Archive: a Stradivarius violin from the 1695 period

This illustration of a violin by Antonio Stradivari was published in The Strad, April 1983. The following text is extracted from the article accompanying the photographs:

This violin, which is not recorded in any of the books listing Stradivari's works, belongs to the 1695 era, the so-called long Strad period, but it is in fact 13 15/16 inches. Stradivari's versatility is legendary, but it is surprising to see an instrument of normal dimensions from the time when the back measurements ranged up to 14 5/16 inches.

The scroll is not original, but the instrument makes an interesting study as it has features that recall both early and late Stradivari, the shaping is restrained and the varnish a very attractive orange hue.