Antonio Stradivari - The Complete Works, Library Edition (by Beares Publishing)

"Magnificent. Quite superb, and a lasting, brilliant legacy. Well done. Even the packaging was amazing!"
— John S.

Six volumes. 2,000 pages. 845 instruments. Nine years in the making.

Explore the ultimate six-volume collection of the world's most celebrated violinmaker. Immerse yourself in the beauty and craftsmanship of his legendary instruments, drawing on private archives never previously disclosed and cataloguing every known instrument with full provenance, measurements, and illustration.

Quarterbound in grey cloth with gold foil debossing, the Library Edition presents six volumes of unrivalled scholarship in a binding designed for permanence. Each set is individually numbered.

All known Strads
Spanning 6 volumes and 2,000 pages, the publication gathers all known Stradivari instruments — violins, violas, celli, guitars, lutes, a viola da gamba, a bow and a harp — offering a unique insight into the life of the most famous Cremonese violin workshop.

Dendrochronology
Dendrochronological analysis has, for the first time, been systematically applied to all instruments with high-resolution images. This scientific tool dates the wood on the instrument's front and offers valuable insights for expertise.

Unprecedented Scale
Nine years of meticulous research gathering and organising a phenomenal amount of data — detailed provenances with dimensions, labels, and certificate information for some 845 instruments, most accompanied by stunning photography.

Practical Design
Beautifully printed and bound in Italy. The volumes measure 300 × 360 mm and offer an optimal reading experience. Elegant Parisian-grey slipcases, each housing two volumes, come with ribbons for seamless handling.

Inside the book

845 curated provenances.
736 Violins
7 Small violins
1 Violin front
2 Violin cases

69 Cellos

14 Violas
1 Viola d'amore
1 Viola d'amore head
1 Viola front

6 Guitars
1 Guitar neck

1 Bow
1 Harp
1 Lute front
2 Mandolins
1 Pochette

Indexes
Volume 6 contains two indexes that help navigate the different dates and names under which instruments have been documented throughout historical literature.

Who is this for?

A reference for collectors, scholars, and custodians.

Classical music lovers
Who wish to deepen their appreciation beyond performance — to understand the historical context, craftsmanship techniques, and cultural journey of each instrument.

Museums & collectors
Making serious acquisitions: the provenance research, authentication details, and dendrochronological dating that validates million-pound decisions.

Rare book connoisseurs
Seeking museum-quality craftsmanship. Only 100 Deluxe copies exist — each destined to appreciate as a collectable art object in its own right.

Visionaries & leaders
Who surround themselves with symbols of human excellence. Stradivari's story embodies what individual genius can achieve.

A word from the authors

Simon Morris & Steven Smith
"The creation of this publication has been as rewarding as it has been challenging. The scale of Antonio Stradivari's achievement over his long and productive lifetime is staggering: over eight hundred instruments are recorded and the great majority of these are extant."

"We see this publication both as our contribution to safeguarding the legacy of Antonio Stradivari and as a valuable service we can provide to current and future custodians of these instruments. To lead this once-in-a-lifetime undertaking we invited John Dilworth and Duane Rosengard, two remarkable scholars whose expertise in fine-stringed instruments and the Cremonese tradition spans some forty years across both sides of the Atlantic."

"We hope that you will enjoy this publication as a reference book, a testament to one remarkable man's lifetime of work, and an inspiration to all craftsmen and craftswomen — as well as a work of beauty in its own right."

Simon Morris is the former co-Managing Director of J&A Beare. Steven Smith is owner and Managing Director of J&A Beare.

Volumes: Six
Pages: Over 2,000
Instruments catalogued: 845
Illustrated instruments: 702
Binding: Quarterbound grey cloth, gold foil debossing
Edition size: 1,000 numbered copies

Dimensions: 300 × 360 mm
Weight: Approximately 17 kg
Language: English

Also available on e-mail request: the Deluxe Edition — 100 copies, hand-bound Italian leather. 

RETURNS
Our return policy is valid for 30 days. If it has been more than 30 days since your purchase, unfortunately we cannot offer you a refund or exchange.

Read more: https://violinbooks.com/policies/refund-policy