# The Stradivari "secret" > Antonio Stradivari (1644–1737) of Cremona made the violins that players and dealers have long ranked above all others, and since the 19th century people… Source: https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/stradivari-secret Publisher: Mysteries Department Licence: CC BY 4.0 (credit Mysteries Department and link the page) Updated: 2026-10-27T17:48:23+00:00 --- **MYS** 0CQAGHPG1DX9·Mystery · object # The Stradivari "secret" **0** [Follow][Ask a question](https://mysteriesdept.com/questions/key-questions?mystery=stradivari-secret) The Stradivari "secret" ![Photograph: The Stradivari "secret"](https://mysteriesdept.com/media/folio/stradivari-secret-lead) Mouilleron, Adolphe, dessinateur-lithographe · CC0 Maker Antonio Stradivari, Cremona, 1644–1737⁠[[1]] Blind tests 2012, 2014, 2017: players and listeners prefer new violins on average and cannot tell new from old⁠[[5]] Wood treatment Mineral profiles in maple and spruce point to borax, sulphates, salt, alum and alkali⁠[[7]] Varnish Drying-oil base layer under oil, pine resin and red pigments⁠[[9]] Wood density Same median density as modern wood; smaller early/late ring contrast⁠[[2]] Messiah violin Outer tree rings of the top in the 1680s, label 1716⁠[[18]] Status Partly explained Questions 2 of 4 answered People [**Antonio Stradivari** Violin maker, Cremona](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/stradivari-secret/people/FIG0CQAGJNR0TZN/antonio-stradivari)[**Claudia Fritz** Acoustician; led the blind tests](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/stradivari-secret/people/FIG0CQAGJXJ2PCA/claudia-fritz)[**Joseph Nagyvary** Biochemist; long-time proponent of chemical treatment](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/stradivari-secret/people/FIG0CQAGK5C5Z3W/joseph-nagyvary) Catalog key**MYS** 0CQAGHPG1DX9 Antonio Stradivari worked in Cremona from the late 17th century until his death in 1737, and his violins, with those of Giuseppe Guarneri del Gesù, have become the benchmark against which others are judged⁠[[1]]⁠[[2]]. Generations of makers and scientists have looked for what made them special: the spruce and maple, a secret varnish, chemical treatment of the wood, or the shape of the plates. Two kinds of question have become separate. The first is whether these violins sound or play better at all. In three double-blind studies, experienced violinists and then hall audiences preferred new violins on average and could not tell new from old better than chance⁠[[3]]⁠[[4]]⁠[[5]]. The second is whether the instruments differ physically. Here the answer is yes in several respects. The maple and spruce show mineral treatments and chemical changes not found in modern tonewood⁠[[6]]⁠[[7]]⁠[[8]]; the contrast in density between early and late growth rings is smaller than in modern wood⁠[[2]]; and the varnish is a two-layer oil and resin system made with pigments common at the time⁠[[9]]. None of these differences has yet been tied to how the instruments sound. Of the 4 questions on this site, 2 are answered. The most likely answer to “Is there anything physically distinct about the wood and finish of Stradivari's instruments?”, not yet confirmed: stradivari and Guarneri treated their wood with mineral solutions (borax, sulphates, salt, alum, alkali),…. ### Key questionsset by the editors [**Do Stradivari violins sound or play better than the best new violins?** ](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/stradivari-secret/questions/QST0CQAGNVA2FZ6/do-stradivari-violins-sound-or-play-better-than-the-best-new)Answered: there is no general audible superiority; individual instruments differ more than old from new, and reputation… [**Is there anything physically distinct about the wood and finish of Stradivari's instruments?** ](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/stradivari-secret/questions/QST0CQAGP34147N/is-there-anything-physically-distinct-about-the-wood-and)Most likely: stradivari and Guarneri treated their wood with mineral solutions (borax, sulphates, salt, alum, alkali),… [All 4 questions ](https://mysteriesdept.com/questions/key-questions?mystery=stradivari-secret) ## The object A violin has a carved spruce top and maple back and ribs, finished with a varnish over a ground layer. Three of his violins, the Gould (1693), the Francesca (1694) and the Antonius (1711), are in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, with public-domain images⁠[[1]]. The Messiah of 1716, at the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford, was the subject of a long dispute over whether it is his⁠[[10]]⁠[[11]]. **Map of the continent** [Open the full map](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/stradivari-secret/map) [+][−] 1 **Cremona** City Within 1 km 2 **Ashmolean Museum, Oxford** Museum Within 100 m 3 **The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York** Museum Within 100 m MappedWithin 1 kmNatural Earth ### Timeline **Timeline** Squeezed where little happened. Each mark is a published claim, by how it stands:AcceptedMost likelyStill possibleDisputedRuled out ## What is known Under blind conditions, 21 violinists in 2012 picked a new violin as most preferred and a Stradivari as least preferred; in 2014, six of ten leading soloists chose a new violin for a hypothetical tour; in 2017, listeners in halls in two experiments judged new violins to project better than Stradivaris, with and without orchestra, and preferred them on average⁠[[3]]⁠[[4]]⁠[[5]]. [!["Gould" violin, Antonio Stradivari, 1693 (Met 55.86a–c)](https://mysteriesdept.com/media/folio/stradivari-secret-a-gould-m1)](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/stradivari-secret/artifacts/ART0CQAH03E5DGM/gould-violin-antonio-stradivari-1693-met-55-86ac) "Gould" violin, Antonio Stradivari, 1693 (Met 55.86a–c)Antonio Stradivari, 1693. CC0[Artifact ](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/stradivari-secret/artifacts/ART0CQAH03E5DGM/gould-violin-antonio-stradivari-1693-met-55-86ac) Chemically, Stradivari's maple has lost about a third of its hemicellulose and shows signs of lignin oxidation, and its elements suggest treatment with complex mineral preservatives⁠[[6]]. Spruce tops by Stradivari and Guarneri carry elemental compositions and oxidation patterns pointing to borax and metal sulphates against fungi, salt for moisture control, alum for crosslinking and potash or quicklime⁠[[7]]. Earlier work found barium sulphate, calcium fluoride, borate and zirconium silicate in wood ash from four Cremonese instruments⁠[[8]]⁠[[12]]. The finish has a drying-oil layer that soaks up to a tenth of a millimetre into the wood and an upper layer of oil, pine resin and pigments such as vermilion, a probable cochineal red and iron-oxide red, all materials painters of the time used⁠[[9]]⁠[[13]]. Infrared nanospectroscopy has since detected a thin protein layer between wood and varnish on two Stradivari violins⁠[[14]]. ## What has been tested Wood density. CT scans of five Cremonese and eight modern violins found no difference in median density but a smaller density contrast between early and late wood in the Cremonese tops (183 against 274 g/l) and backs (115 against 128 g/l)⁠[[2]]. A wider study of 30 instruments found no difference in median density between Cremonese, other classical and modern violins⁠[[15]]. Climate. Burckle and Grissino-Mayer proposed that the cold of the Maunder Minimum slowed Alpine spruce growth and gave unusually even wood⁠[[16]]. The density contrast result fits this, but no study has separated climate from treatment. [![The "Messiah" violin, labelled 1716](https://mysteriesdept.com/files/v/47008232016566002b4890712be5057d343a0b3437eafcb5cc93b8cc0c05f20b/w800)](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/stradivari-secret/artifacts/ART0CQAH1T47XZ5/the-messiah-violin-labelled-1716) The "Messiah" violin, labelled 1716Geni, 1716. CC BY-SA 4.0[Artifact ](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/stradivari-secret/artifacts/ART0CQAH1T47XZ5/the-messiah-violin-labelled-1716) Dating and attribution. Two independent dendrochronological studies placed the outer rings of the Messiah's top in the 1680s, consistent with its 1716 label, and a later claim of an 1844 outer ring could not be verified on the same data⁠[[10]]⁠[[17]]⁠[[18]]. The ring-width series is public⁠[[11]]. Sound. Formant analysis of Amati and Stradivari violins found Stradivari's tone resonances placed higher, like a tenor or alto voice rather than a bass⁠[[19]]. This describes a difference; it does not show a preference. ## The readings No secret, only reputation. The blind tests suggest that the perceived superiority of Old Italian violins comes largely from knowing what one is playing or hearing, and that differences between individual instruments matter more than old versus new⁠[[3]]⁠[[5]]. Chemical treatment. Stradivari and his contemporaries treated their wood with minerals, for preservation or tone, and the treated wood, aged for three centuries, is a material modern makers cannot buy⁠[[6]]⁠[[7]]. The evidence for treatment is good; the evidence that it changes the sound is absent. Wood quality. The Cremonese makers had access to unusually even spruce, whether from climate or selection⁠[[16]]⁠[[2]]. The 2012 density study argues against uniquely dense wood⁠[[15]]. Varnish. A special varnish was long the favourite explanation. The analysed finishes are ordinary oil and resin with common pigments, so the varnish is not a secret material, though its layering and the protein ground may still matter to the plates' vibration⁠[[9]]⁠[[14]]. Design and craft. The violins' geometry and plate tuning, rather than any material, carry the difference, as the formant shift between Amati and Stradivari suggests⁠[[19]]. ### Published claims **Published claims and their status** | Year | Who | Claimed | Status | Reason | |---|---|---|---|---| | 2000 | John Topham and Derek McCormick⁠[10] | Tree rings date the spruce tops of Cremonese instruments, and the Messiah's outer rings fall in the 1680s, consistent with its 1716 label. | Accepted | An independent study reached the same dates, and a later re-dating to 1844 could not be verified on the same data⁠[17]⁠[18]. | | 2003 | Lloyd Burckle and Henri Grissino-Mayer⁠[16] | The cold of the Maunder Minimum slowed Alpine spruce growth and gave the Cremonese makers unusually even wood. | Disputed | Cremonese tops show a smaller density contrast between growth rings, but a wider study found no difference in density and no study has separated climate from treatment⁠[2]⁠[15]. | | 2004 | Henri Grissino-Mayer, Paul Sheppard and Malcolm Cleaveland⁠[17] | An independent tree-ring study places the Messiah's outer rings in the 1680s, so it can be a Stradivari of about 1716. | Accepted | It agrees with Topham and McCormick, and both teams found the proposed 1844 re-dating could not be reproduced⁠[10]⁠[18]. | | 2006 | Joseph Nagyvary, Joseph DiVerdi and Noel Owen⁠[12] | The maple of Stradivari and Guarneri instruments is chemically degraded beyond natural ageing, a sign of deliberate treatment. | Most likely | Later studies of maple and spruce also found signs of mineral treatment, though part of the change is put down to ageing⁠[6]⁠[7]. | | 2008 | Berend Stoel and Terry Borman⁠[2] | Cremonese violins are no denser than modern ones, but the contrast in density between early and late growth rings is smaller. | Most likely | It rests on five Cremonese instruments, and the wider 2012 study confirmed only that median density does not differ⁠[15]. | | 2009 | Joseph Nagyvary, Renald Guillemette and Clifford Spiegelman⁠[8] | Wood ash from two Stradivari and two Guarneri instruments contains compounds absent from natural wood, such as borate, barium sulphate and calcium fluoride. | Most likely | The 2021 study of spruce tops found a similar pattern of mineral treatment by other methods⁠[7]. | | 2010 | Jean-Philippe Echard and colleagues⁠[9] | Stradivari's finish is a drying-oil base and a layer of oil, pine resin and common red pigments, with no special ingredient. | Accepted | Later work added a thin protein layer under the varnish but found no secret material in the varnish itself⁠[14]. | | 2012 | Claudia Fritz and colleagues⁠[3] | Under double-blind conditions, 21 violinists preferred a new violin most and a Stradivari least, and could not tell old from new. | Accepted | Tests with leading soloists and with hall audiences gave the same result⁠[4]⁠[5]. | | 2014 | Claudia Fritz and colleagues⁠[4] | Six of ten leading soloists chose a new violin over Old Italian ones for a hypothetical tour, and could not tell them apart better than chance. | Accepted | It agrees with the player and listener tests of 2012 and 2017⁠[3]⁠[5]. | | 2017 | Claudia Fritz and colleagues⁠[5] | Listeners in concert halls judged new violins to project better than Stradivaris and preferred them on average. | Accepted | It repeats in two halls, with and without orchestra, the pattern found with players⁠[3]. | | 2017 | Hwan-Ching Tai and colleagues⁠[6] | Stradivari's maple has lost about a third of its hemicellulose and carries signs of treatment with mineral preservatives. | Most likely | Spruce from the same workshops shows similar treatment, but no study has shown the treatment changes the sound⁠[7]⁠[5]. | | 2018 | Hwan-Ching Tai and colleagues⁠[19] | Stradivari's violins have higher formants than Amati's, so their tone resembles a tenor or alto voice rather than a bass. | Still possible | It measures a difference in tone between makers, which the blind tests suggest listeners do not turn into a preference⁠[5]. | | 2021 | Cheng-Kuan Su and colleagues⁠[7] | Stradivari and Guarneri treated their spruce with borax, metal sulphates, salt, alum and potash or quicklime. | Most likely | It agrees with earlier evidence of mineral treatment, but how much is treatment and how much ageing is still argued⁠[8]⁠[6]. | | 2022 | Chiaramaria Stani and colleagues⁠[14] | A thin protein-based layer lies between the wood and the varnish on two Stradivari violins. | Most likely | It is one method on two instruments and has not been challenged, but its effect on the sound is unknown⁠[9]. | ## What would settle it A test linking cause and effect: matched modern violins made from treated and untreated wood of the same logs, measured acoustically and judged blind by players and listeners, would show whether the Cremonese treatments matter. Public release of CT volumes and acoustic measurements of the instruments already studied would let others model plate stiffness from geometry and density. More blind tests with more instruments, pre-registered, would fix how large any old-versus-new difference is. ## Questions 2 of 4 questions are answered. **Key questions** [All 4](https://mysteriesdept.com/questions/key-questions?mystery=stradivari-secret) **0** [Do Stradivari violins sound or play better than the best new violins?](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/stradivari-secret/questions/QST0CQAGNVA2FZ6/do-stradivari-violins-sound-or-play-better-than-the-best-new) 0 of 0 sub-questions answered·0 Answered: There is no general audible superiority; individual instruments differ more than old from new, and reputation… **0** [Is there anything physically distinct about the wood and finish of Stradivari's instruments?](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/stradivari-secret/questions/QST0CQAGP34147N/is-there-anything-physically-distinct-about-the-wood-and) 1 of 2 sub-questions answered·0 Most likely: stradivari and Guarneri treated their wood with mineral solutions (borax, sulphates, salt, alum, alkali),… ## Evidence 20 findings [Do Stradivari violins sound or play better than the best new violins?](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/stradivari-secret/questions/QST0CQAGNVA2FZ6/do-stradivari-violins-sound-or-play-better-than-the-best-new)6 findings [Stradivari violins are reliably preferred and identifiable when players and listeners cannot see them.](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/stradivari-secret/answers/ANS0CQAGPTJ0BVR/stradivari-violins-are-reliably-preferred-and-identifiable)Disputed +[Stradivari violins show higher formant frequencies than Amati violins, a measurable tonal signature.](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/stradivari-secret/evidence/EVD0CQAGQST6QFG/stradivari-violins-show-higher-formant-frequencies-than)Suggestive −[21 violinists preferred a new violin most and a Stradivari least; most could not tell if their favourite was new or old.](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/stradivari-secret/evidence/EVD0CQAGQ2C15GC/21-violinists-preferred-a-new-violin-most-and-a-stradivari)Supported −[Six of ten soloists chose a new violin; soloists could not tell new from old better than chance.](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/stradivari-secret/evidence/EVD0CQAGQA61B44/six-of-ten-soloists-chose-a-new-violin-soloists-could-not)Supported −[Hall listeners judged new violins to project better than Stradivaris and preferred them on average.](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/stradivari-secret/evidence/EVD0CQAGQJ00J9G/hall-listeners-judged-new-violins-to-project-better-than)Supported [There is no general audible superiority; individual instruments differ more than old from new, and reputation…](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/stradivari-secret/answers/ANS0CQAGR1M7TYY/there-is-no-general-audible-superiority-individual)Most likely +[Three independent blind studies with players and listeners found no old-violin advantage.](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/stradivari-secret/evidence/EVD0CQAGR9E6PMD/three-independent-blind-studies-with-players-and-listeners)Supported −[Each study used few instruments (six to twelve), limiting generalisation to all Stradivaris.](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/stradivari-secret/evidence/EVD0CQAGRH84QSN/each-study-used-few-instruments-six-to-twelve-limiting)Suggestive [Is there anything physically distinct about the wood and finish of Stradivari's instruments?](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/stradivari-secret/questions/QST0CQAGP34147N/is-there-anything-physically-distinct-about-the-wood-and)9 findings [Stradivari and Guarneri treated their wood with mineral solutions (borax, sulphates, salt, alum, alkali),…](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/stradivari-secret/answers/ANS0CQAGS0W59AR/stradivari-and-guarneri-treated-their-wood-with-mineral)Most likely +[Spruce soundboards show unnatural elemental compositions and oxidation patterns.](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/stradivari-secret/evidence/EVD0CQAGS8P0FF0/spruce-soundboards-show-unnatural-elemental-compositions-and)Supported +[Maple from four Stradivari instruments and a Guarneri shows mineral profiles (Al, Ca, Cu, Na, K, Zn) unlike modern maple.](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/stradivari-secret/evidence/EVD0CQAGSGG26NM/maple-from-four-stradivari-instruments-and-a-guarneri-shows)Supported +[Wood ash from four Cremonese instruments contains BaSO4, CaF2, borate and ZrSiO4.](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/stradivari-secret/evidence/EVD0CQAGSRA6WDJ/wood-ash-from-four-cremonese-instruments-contains-baso4-caf2)Suggestive [The chemical differences come from three centuries of ageing and playing, not deliberate treatment.](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/stradivari-secret/answers/ANS0CQAGT0451X6/the-chemical-differences-come-from-three-centuries-of-ageing)Most likely +[Hemicellulose loss and lignin oxidation are partly attributed to age and vibration by the same authors.](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/stradivari-secret/evidence/EVD0CQAGT7Y5CTD/hemicellulose-loss-and-lignin-oxidation-are-partly)Suggestive −[Stradivari's violin maple, but not his cello maple, shows unusual thermo-oxidation patterns, which ageing alone does not explain.](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/stradivari-secret/evidence/EVD0CQAGTFR2GRS/stradivaris-violin-maple-but-not-his-cello-maple-shows)Suggestive [The spruce grew unusually evenly, through the cold of the Maunder Minimum or selection.](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/stradivari-secret/answers/ANS0CQAGTQJ4PKN/the-spruce-grew-unusually-evenly-through-the-cold-of-the)Disputed +[Cremonese tops have a smaller early/late density difference (183 vs 274 g/l).](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/stradivari-secret/evidence/EVD0CQAGTZC2Y9G/cremonese-tops-have-a-smaller-early-late-density-difference)Supported −[No significant difference in median density between Cremonese, other classical and modern violins.](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/stradivari-secret/evidence/EVD0CQAGV763K4W/no-significant-difference-in-median-density-between)Supported [The varnish contains a special ingredient that gives the instruments their sound.](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/stradivari-secret/answers/ANS0CQAGVF02NSE/the-varnish-contains-a-special-ingredient-that-gives-the)Disputed +[A thin protein-based layer lies between wood and varnish on two violins.](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/stradivari-secret/evidence/EVD0CQAGVYM2BT4/a-thin-protein-based-layer-lies-between-wood-and-varnish-on)Suggestive −[Five Stradivari finishes consist of a drying-oil base and an oil, pine resin and pigment layer, with no mineral ground.](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/stradivari-secret/evidence/EVD0CQAGVPT3ZXM/five-stradivari-finishes-consist-of-a-drying-oil-base-and-an)Supported [If the materials differ, do the differences change the sound?](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/stradivari-secret/questions/QST0CQAGPAY7VZ1/if-the-materials-differ-do-the-differences-change-the-sound)2 findings [The mineral treatment and aged wood change plate stiffness and damping enough to be heard.](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/stradivari-secret/answers/ANS0CQAGWE850PX/the-mineral-treatment-and-aged-wood-change-plate-stiffness)Still possible +[Altered cellulose nanostructure in heavily treated Stradivari samples.](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/stradivari-secret/evidence/EVD0CQAGWP22XRC/altered-cellulose-nanostructure-in-heavily-treated)Speculative [The material differences exist but have no reliable audible effect.](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/stradivari-secret/answers/ANS0CQAGWXW42SF/the-material-differences-exist-but-have-no-reliable-audible)Most likely +[Listeners and players do not prefer or identify Stradivaris in blind tests.](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/stradivari-secret/evidence/EVD0CQAGX5P6PW1/listeners-and-players-do-not-prefer-or-identify-stradivaris)Supported [Is the Messiah violin by Stradivari?](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/stradivari-secret/questions/QST0CQAGPJR4XFR/is-the-messiah-violin-by-stradivari)3 findings [The Messiah is a Stradivari of about 1716.](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/stradivari-secret/answers/ANS0CQAGXNA7TFB/the-messiah-is-a-stradivari-of-about-1716)Most likely +[Two independent studies date the outer rings to the 1680s; a proposed 1844 date could not be verified.](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/stradivari-secret/evidence/EVD0CQAGXX42K9Z/two-independent-studies-date-the-outer-rings-to-the-1680s-a)Established +[The public ring-width series spans 1578–1686.](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/stradivari-secret/evidence/EVD0CQAGY4Y2C3Q/the-public-ring-width-series-spans-15781686)Established [The Messiah is a 19th-century copy.](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/stradivari-secret/answers/ANS0CQAGYCR1AVH/the-messiah-is-a-19th-century-copy)Disputed −[The 1844 outer-ring date rested on flawed statistics.](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/stradivari-secret/evidence/EVD0CQAGYMJ7E8B/the-1844-outer-ring-date-rested-on-flawed-statistics)Supported ## Artifacts The films, photos, papers and objects this mystery rests on, each with its own key and its distance from the original. **Artifacts** [See all 20](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/stradivari-secret/artifacts) Photo1 step from object ["Gould" violin, Antonio Stradivari, 1693 (Met 55.86a–c)](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/stradivari-secret/artifacts/ART0CQAH03E5DGM/gould-violin-antonio-stradivari-1693-met-55-86ac) Antonio Stradivari · CC0 Photo1 step from object ["Francesca" violin, Antonio Stradivari, 1694 (Met 34.86.2a)](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/stradivari-secret/artifacts/ART0CQAH0TW68D1/francesca-violin-antonio-stradivari-1694-met-34-86-2a) Antonio Stradivari · CC0 Photo1 step from object ["Antonius" violin, Antonio Stradivari, 1711 (Met 34.86.1a)](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/stradivari-secret/artifacts/ART0CQAH1AG5A47/antonius-violin-antonio-stradivari-1711-met-34-86-1a) Antonio Stradivari · CC0 Photo1 step from object [The "Messiah" violin, labelled 1716](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/stradivari-secret/artifacts/ART0CQAH1T47XZ5/the-messiah-violin-labelled-1716) Geni · CC BY-SA 4.0 Document2 steps from object [Wood and varnish micro-samples from Stradivari and Guarneri instruments](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/stradivari-secret/artifacts/ART0CQAH21Y1JK4/wood-and-varnish-micro-samples-from-stradivari-and-guarneri) Nagyvary and colleagues · CC BY (PLOS ONE) Scan2 steps from object [CT density scans of Cremonese and modern violins](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/stradivari-secret/artifacts/ART0CQAH2SC0J3Q/ct-density-scans-of-cremonese-and-modern-violins) Berend Stoel and Terry Borman · CC BY (PLOS ONE) [See all 20 artifacts](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/stradivari-secret/artifacts) ## See also [ **Gallo-Roman dodecahedra** About 130 hollow bronze dodecahedra from Roman provinces, 2nd to 4th century AD. ](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/roman-dodecahedra) [ **Antikythera Mechanism** A geared astronomical calculator raised from a wreck off Antikythera in 1901. ](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/antikythera-mechanism) [ **Who were the Denisovans? The Harbin "Dragon Man" cranium** A human lineage known from DNA since 2010, tied to the Harbin cranium in 2025. ](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/denisovan-identity) [ **Homo floresiensis, the origin of the Flores "hobbits"** A metre-tall hominin that lived on Flores, Indonesia, until about 50,000 years ago. ](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/homo-floresiensis) ## References 1. 1.[The Metropolitan Museum of Art 2026. "Gould" Violin, Antonio Stradivari, 1693 (55.86a–c). The Met Collection.](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0CQAGH6W3TWJ/gould-violin-antonio-stradivari-1693-55-86ac)cited 7 times here**SRC** 0CQAGH6W3TWJ 1. 2.[Stoel, B., Borman, T. 2008. A Comparison of Wood Density between Classical Cremonese and Modern Violins. PLoS ONE 3, e2554.](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0CQAGF8C7G8P/a-comparison-of-wood-density-between-classical-cremonese-and)[doi](https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0002554)cited 7 times here**SRC** 0CQAGF8C7G8P 1. 3.[Fritz, C., Curtin, J., Poitevineau, J. et al. 2012. Player preferences among new and old violins. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 109, 760–763.](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0CQAGCT832ZH/player-preferences-among-new-and-old-violins)[doi](https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1114999109)cited 7 times here**SRC** 0CQAGCT832ZH 1. 4.[Fritz, C., Curtin, J., Poitevineau, J. et al. 2014. Soloist evaluations of six Old Italian and six new violins. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 111, 7224–7229.](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0CQAGD222YYZ/soloist-evaluations-of-six-old-italian-and-six-new-violins)[doi](https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1323367111)cited 4 times here**SRC** 0CQAGD222YYZ 1. 5.[Fritz, C., Curtin, J., Poitevineau, J. et al. 2017. Listener evaluations of new and Old Italian violins. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 114, 5395–5400.](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0CQAGD9W2GEZ/listener-evaluations-of-new-and-old-italian-violins)[doi](https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1619443114)cited 8 times here**SRC** 0CQAGD9W2GEZ 1. 6.[Tai, H., Li, G., Huang, S. et al. 2017. Chemical distinctions between Stradivari's maple and modern tonewood. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 114, 27–32.](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0CQAGDHP4RVE/chemical-distinctions-between-stradivaris-maple-and-modern)[doi](https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1611253114)cited 8 times here**SRC** 0CQAGDHP4RVE 1. 7.[Su, C., Chen, S., Chung, J. et al. 2021. Materials Engineering of Violin Soundboards by Stradivari and Guarneri. Angewandte Chemie International Edition 60, 19144–19154.](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0CQAGDSG1YB4/materials-engineering-of-violin-soundboards-by-stradivari)[doi](https://doi.org/10.1002/anie.202105252)cited 10 times here**SRC** 0CQAGDSG1YB4 1. 8.[Nagyvary, J., Guillemette, R., Spiegelman, C. 2009. Mineral Preservatives in the Wood of Stradivari and Guarneri. PLoS ONE 4, e4245.](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0CQAGE945BGR/mineral-preservatives-in-the-wood-of-stradivari-and-guarneri)[doi](https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0004245)cited 3 times here**SRC** 0CQAGE945BGR 1. 9.[Echard, J., Bertrand, L., von Bohlen, A. et al. 2010. The Nature of the Extraordinary Finish of Stradivari's Instruments. Angewandte Chemie International Edition 49, 197–201.](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0CQAGEGY6T92/the-nature-of-the-extraordinary-finish-of-stradivaris)[doi](https://doi.org/10.1002/anie.200905131)cited 5 times here**SRC** 0CQAGEGY6T92 1. 10.[Topham, J., McCormick, D. 2000. A Dendrochronological Investigation of Stringed Instruments of the Cremonese School (1666–1757) including 'The Messiah' violin attributed to Antonio Stradivari. Journal of Archaeological Science 27, 183–192.](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0CQAGFZT51FK/a-dendrochronological-investigation-of-stringed-instruments)[doi](https://doi.org/10.1006/jasc.1999.0516)cited 3 times here**SRC** 0CQAGFZT51FK 1. 11.[Grissino-Mayer, H., Sheppard, P., Cleaveland, M. 2005. Grissino-Mayer - Messiah Violin - PCAB - ITRDB BRIT050. NOAA NCEI World Data Service for Paleoclimatology (International Tree-Ring Data Bank).](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0CQAGGZ27WWP/grissino-mayer-messiah-violin-pcab-itrdb-brit050)[doi](https://doi.org/10.25921/8se2-5715)cited 4 times here**SRC** 0CQAGGZ27WWP 1. 12.[Nagyvary, J., DiVerdi, J., Owen, N. et al. 2006. Wood used by Stradivari and Guarneri. Nature 444, 565.](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0CQAGE1A7FJJ/wood-used-by-stradivari-and-guarneri)[doi](https://doi.org/10.1038/444565a)cited 2 times here**SRC** 0CQAGE1A7FJJ 1. 13.[CORDIS (European Commission) 2009. Study reveals secret of Stradivari's varnishes. CORDIS News.](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0CQAGERR3366/study-reveals-secret-of-stradivaris-varnishes)cited 1 time here**SRC** 0CQAGERR3366 1. 14.[Stani, C., Invernizzi, C., Birarda, G. et al. 2022. A Nanofocused Light on Stradivari Violins: Infrared s-SNOM Reveals New Clues Behind Craftsmanship Mastery. Analytical Chemistry 94, 14815–14819.](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0CQAGF0J5KQD/a-nanofocused-light-on-stradivari-violins-infrared-s-snom)[doi](https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.analchem.2c02965)cited 2 times here**SRC** 0CQAGF0J5KQD 1. 15.[Stoel, B., Borman, T., de Jongh, R. 2012. Wood Densitometry in 17th and 18th Century Dutch, German, Austrian and French Violins, Compared to Classical Cremonese and Modern Violins. PLoS ONE 7, e46629.](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0CQAGFG61SKN/wood-densitometry-in-17th-and-18th-century-dutch-german)[doi](https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0046629)cited 2 times here**SRC** 0CQAGFG61SKN 1. 16.[Burckle, L., Grissino-Mayer, H. 2003. Stradivari, violins, tree rings, and the Maunder Minimum: a hypothesis. Dendrochronologia 21, 41–45.](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0CQAGFR01KM3/stradivari-violins-tree-rings-and-the-maunder-minimum-a)[doi](https://doi.org/10.1078/1125-7865-00033)cited 2 times here**SRC** 0CQAGFR01KM3 1. 17.[Grissino-Mayer, H., Sheppard, P., Cleaveland, M. 2004. A dendroarchaeological re-examination of the 'Messiah' violin and other instruments attributed to Antonio Stradivari. Journal of Archaeological Science 31, 167–174.](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0CQAGG7M04YP/a-dendroarchaeological-re-examination-of-the-messiah-violin)[doi](https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jas.2003.07.001)cited 4 times here**SRC** 0CQAGG7M04YP 1. 18.[Grissino-Mayer, H., Sheppard, P., Cleaveland, M. et al. 2010. Adverse implications of misdating in dendrochronology: Addressing the re-dating of the 'Messiah' violin. Dendrochronologia 28, 149–159.](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0CQAGGFE1C45/adverse-implications-of-misdating-in-dendrochronology)[doi](https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dendro.2009.09.003)cited 6 times here**SRC** 0CQAGGFE1C45 1. 19.[Tai, H., Shen, Y., Lin, J. et al. 2018. Acoustic evolution of old Italian violins from Amati to Stradivari. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 115, 5926–5931.](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0CQAGGQ87K8D/acoustic-evolution-of-old-italian-violins-from-amati-to)[doi](https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1800666115)cited 2 times here**SRC** 0CQAGGQ87K8D Last edited 27 Oct 2026