STOLEN VIOLIN ALERT | 1747 Giovanni Battista Guadagnini Violin, Geneva

An international alert has been issued in Switzerland today for a 1747 Giovanni Battista Guadagnini violin – stolen from a Geneva train station at 5.30pm on Thursday December 8th, 2016.

The 35.6cm long instrument, has a golden-brown varnish with a two-piece spruce top and table and two-piece maple back.

The violin was housed in a grey carbon fibre hard case, which also contained 4 bows -by Eugene Sartory, Dominique Peccatte, Marie Nicolas and Jacob Eury.

It is understood the owner was on a crowded train in Geneva, on his way to Sion at the time of the robbery.

The owner’s wallet and passport were also in the case.

Recent sales of J.B. Guadagnini instruments, from this period, have reached in excess of US $1.5 Million.

If you have any information, please urgently contact: +41 795 218 286.

[Copied from The Violin Channel] 

 

A Pattern to Stradivari Violin Thefts?

THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE THEFT OF THE AMES BY PHIL JOHNSON MIRROR THOSE OF THE THEFT OF THE GIBSON/HUBERMAN (NOW JOSHUA BELL'S CONCERT  INSTRUMENT) DECADES PRIOR.

Is there a pattern here of obscure, sociopathic violinists lifting conveniently vulnerable Strads (and perhaps other valuable instruments)?


The Karpilowski/Benjamin, the Lamoureux/Zimbalist, theColossus, the Davidoff/Morini, the King 
Maximilian/Unico, Le Maurien -- these include some of the best working Strads, all taken from performers or, in one case, a dealer. All are still missing. 

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AMES STRAD RECOVERED!

The Ames Strad has been recovered.  Who had it?  It's an interesting story, appropriately reported by Nina Totenberg at NPR.  She's the daughter of legendary soloist and teacher, Roman Totenberg, from whom the Ames was notoriously stolen decades ago:

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/08/07/arts/music/roman-totenbergs-stolen-stradivarius-is-found-after-35-years.html?_r=1

http://www.npr.org/2015/08/06/427718240/a-rarity-reclaimed-stolen-

stradivarius-recovered-after-35-years

http://www.violinist.com/blog/laurie/20158/16968/

An Article About Instrument and Art Theft, from a Law Enforcement Point of View

Read the Article in VICE NEWS

LIPINSKY STRAD RECOVERED!

SEE ARTICLE IN THE GUARDIAN HERE

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Three Suspects Arrested in Assault on Concertmaster and Theft of Lipinsky Stradivari

Follow Link to Story from Milwaukie Radio

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Stolen 1731 C.F. Landolfi violin recovered in Holland. Suspects arrested.

New York Times article describes the recovery of 1731 Landolfi

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STOLEN 1924 POGGI RECOVERED IN BOLOGNA

This is a link to the article in "The Strad" magazine.

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Strad Article Summarizes Difficulties Involved in Recovering Stolen Violins.

FOLLOW THIS LINK TO THE ARTICLE IN THE STRAD ONLINE

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Recovered "ex-Kym" Strad Auctioned by Tarisio for $2.27M.

A link to the story from The Strad Online:


Follow this link to the story in The Strad Online.

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Min-Jin Kym's former Strad to be auctioned by Tarisio

The U.S. auction house, Tarisio, will be placing the Strad stolen from Min-Jin Kym up for auction in December.  It was Stolen in November, 2010 and recovered earlier this year.

Folow this link to an article in the London Evening Standard announcing the auction:

The 1696 Kym Stradivari

    
           

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MIN-JIN KYM'S STRAD RECOVERED IN THE UK!

Follow this link to a video interview with Kym.

Follow these links to press stories reporting the recovery of Kym's 1696 long-pattern Strad:

"The Strad" magazine online. 

http://www.standard.co.uk/news/crime/12m-stradivarius-violin-snatched-at-euston-station-is-found-after-three-year-hunt-8737440.html 
 

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/world/high-note-as-musician-min-jin-kym-reunited-with-2m-stradivarius-violin/story-fnb64oi6-1226688612236


http://www.news.com.au/world-news/rare-stradivarius-violin-recovered-after-three-years-in-united-kingdom/story-fndir2ev-1226688409044


http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/news-by-industry/et-cetera/1-2m-stradivarius-violin-recovered-after-3-year-search/articleshow/21499315.cms


As we predicted, the 1696 long-pattern Srad stolen from Min-Jin Kym in Nov., 2010, has been recovered in England

Min-Jin Kym

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List of the known missing Strads. #119 The 1727 Davidoff-Morini.

• ID: 119
• Type: violin
• Maker: Antonio Stradivari
  
• Year built: 1727
• City: Cremona
• Name: Davidoff-Morini
• Back: Two-piece

                                                      

                                                                  Erica Morini died on October 31, 1995, at the age of 91.


 The theft of this violin is thought to have been an "inside job," perpetrated while the owner was dying in the hospital in New York City in November, 1994.  A reward of $100,000.00 has been offered for information leading to the recovery of the 1727 Davidoff-Morini Stradivari.  Contact William F. Smith in New York, 212-719-3939.

The violin that belonged to Ms. Morini, who died a short time after the theft, was made in 1727 and bought for her by her father, a Viennese music teacher, more than 80 years ago. It has not been recovered. 

"An Upper West Side Mystery: The Vanished Stradivarius", William K. Rashbaum, The New York Times.

"In November 1994, someone swiped the Davidoff Strad, built in 1727 and valued at $4 million, from the Fifth Ave. apartment of Erica Morini in the last days of the violin virtuoso's life. Her relatives concealed the theft from her."

"She died at age 91 cradling a copy of her precious Stradivarius, which had been a gift from her father when she was just 21."

"A Fiddle Found", David Krajicek, The Daily News.

"The 'Davidov' Stradivari violin, owned by Erica Morini, was stolen just before her death from her Manhattan home. However, it seems that this was no break-in by casual looters, but a planned theft by a small circle of those who had access to the apartment and to the key of the wardrobe in which she kept the instrument. When a friend went to check on the violin, all she found was an empty case, with no trace of forced entry or exit to the flat. Last valued at $3.5m/£2.2m, the 'Davidov' may well provide a lucrative private deal for the thief. But any new owner will have to keep it well hidden from violin experts for many years if they wish to remain anonymous.

Opinions vary on the date of the 'Davidov'; while it is labeled 1724, experts including Simone Sacconi have put a later date of 1727 on it. Morini's father purchased it around [1923] for his daughter from Paris dealers Maucotel & Deschamp, and Morini used it as her concert instrument throughout her life."

"Morini's 'Davidov' Strad vanishes",  The Strad, January, 1996, 1996

                                                                                         erica morini

"For much of her concert career she performed on the 1727 ‘Davidoff’ Stradivarius – purchased by her father in Paris in 1924.

"Tragically the ‘Davidoff’ and a number of precious paintings, letters and scores were stolen from Ms Morini’s New York City apartment in 1995 – just days before her death.

"Police believe the thief was in possession of Ms Morini’s apartment and lock-safe cabinet keys.

"Humanely she was never told about the robbery – and passed away in hospital unaware.

ERIKA MORINI | BRUCH | VIOLIN CONCERTO NO.1 | 3RD MVT | DONALD VOORHEES & THE BELL TELEPHONE HOUR ORCHESTRA | 1963

"Today the crime remains unsolved and is listed on the American Federal Bureau of Investigation‘s ‘Top Ten Art Thefts’.

"If you have any information in regard to the whereabouts of the 1727 ‘Davidoff’ Stradivarius, please contact the FBI on (202) 324-3000.

Please share widely."