Identifying Medieval Fragments in Three Musical Instruments Made by Antonio Stradivari

This article identifies ten fragments, used as reinforcements in the sounding boxes of three instruments made by Antonio Stradivari (Cremona, ca. 1648–1737), which are now kept Ashmolean Museum Oxford (the ‘Cipriani Potter’ violin, 1683, and ‘Hill’ guitar, 1688) musée de la Musique Paris ‘Vuillaume’ guitar). The fragments appear to come from a single book hours, Italy no later than mid-fifteenth century. identification allows documentation use parchment making process Stradivari. authors discuss what common origin found distinct implies for authenticity relative dating their making. Finally, this study sheds light on potential documenting reused widely present many string musical produced sixteenth eighteenth centuries.