Sources & fact-check policy
Stradivarius Violins is an educational reference, so the facts have to be right. This page explains where our information comes from, how we treat valuation, and the corrections we made when rebuilding the original site.
Where our facts come from
For each instrument and topic we rely on primary, reputable authorities — instrument archives, museum and library collections, and the standard scholarly catalogues — rather than secondary blogs. Dates, periods, and ownership are taken from these sources; where a fact is uncertain or debated, we say so.
- Library of Congress — Stradivari instruments / Whittall Collection
- Smithsonian — National Music Museum / NMAH string instruments
- W. Henry Hill, Arthur F. Hill & Alfred E. Hill — 'Antonio Stradivari: His Life and Work (1644–1737)'
- Tarisio — Cozio Archive of stringed instruments
- The Metropolitan Museum of Art — musical instruments collection
Valuation is market history, not advice
Prices and auction records on this site are reported market history. Nothing here is financial, investment, or appraisal advice, and we do not value or authenticate individual instruments. A genuine attribution or valuation is a job for recognised specialist dealers and experts.
Hypotheses vs. established fact
The reasons a Stradivari instrument sounds as it does are still debated. We present the wood, varnish, and treatment theories as hypotheses under investigation, never as proven fact, and we note that blind listening tests have not reliably distinguished old Italian instruments from fine modern ones.
Corrections we made to the original site
- Auction records updated. The original priced the public record at the 'Hammer' (US$3.54M, 2006). That figure is kept in context, with the modern record — the 'Lady Blunt', about US$15.9M in 2011 — added.
- Valuation reframed. Price content is presented as market history, with a clear 'not financial or appraisal advice' note.
- 'Secret of the sound' reframed. Theories about the wood and varnish are presented as hypotheses, not established fact.
- Clarity. Dated phrasing has been modernised and sourced.
Corrections welcome
Spotted an error? Tell us — include a source and we'll review and update. We date our reviews and re-check pages against current sources.