174.—VIOLIN COLLECTORS.
It has long been a source of satisfaction to virtuosi and wealthy amateurs to make collections of old and rare violins. While this keeps these valuable instruments out of use for a time, it certainly acts as a preservative, and future generations get the benefit of what we are deprived.
Paganini had in his collection, among other Cremonas, a "Strad," a small Guarnerius, an Amati, a "Strad" bass, and the large Guarnerius, which was given to him and which he loved so much that he gave it to Genoa to keep sacred from the profaning touch of any succeeding artist. I believe this wish has been followed in every case, with one exception, that of his pupil, Sivori.
A good example of the wealthy amateur was Gillott, the millionaire Birmingham (Eng.) pen manufacturer. He had a penchant (excuse the pun) for collecting violins and letting them be unused and uncared for. He was not a player himself, and it is a question whether he realized the possibilities of any one of his valuable collection. At his death there was found in one room of his factory over £40,000 worth of fiddles and in other rooms many 'cellos and basses. At one time he had about five hundred instruments collected together, making probably the largest number of valuable Italian instruments ever owned at one time by a single person.