1670

As the name of this violin indicates, it dates from Stradivari’s golden period: 1700–1720. The perfection of the instrument’s proportions proclaims it as an instrument crafted at the zenith of the great master’s oeuvre. The “Aurea” is famous for its easy playability and unforgettable sonority.

The “Aurea’s” known history can be traced back as far as the 19th century. It belonged to the German Baron von der Leyen of Krefeld (1801–1858) who bequeathed it to his son-in-law Rudolf von Beckerath (1838–1888), a friend of Johannes Brahms. Rudolf’s son Willy, incidentally, made impressive portraits of Brahms and it is assumed that the “Aurea” was played in the presence of the composer.

Franziska Frise (1846–1910), a successful German violinist and chamber music soloist of some repute, having married the pianist Henri Völlmar, settled in Krefeld where she became acquainted with the Beckerath family. It is not known if she possessed the “Aurea” but it is certain that she played it between 1865 and 1873.

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In 1873 the instrument was bought by Mark Maerklin, who kept it for only two years. It then came into the possession of the left-handed violinist Richard Barth who had it altered for his use, keeping it until 1909. Thereafter, from 1909 till 1928, it belonged to an unknown German before the New York instrument dealer Emil Herrmann purchased it.

Herrmann then sold the “Aurea” in 1930 to Ralph Hubbard Norton (1875–1953), a rich steel industrialist and art collector in Chicago. Norton is also known as the founder of an art school and a museum in Palm Beach which bears his name.

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After Norton’s death the “Aurea” was bequeathed to the Chicago Orchestral Association. There it was played by Victor Aitay (1921–2012), Hungarian-born concert master of the Budapest Opera and founder of the Aitay Quartet. Aitay, having fled the Nazis, immigrated to the United States where he became first concert master of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. The “Aurea” became part of our collection in the early 1960s. 

The instrument is currently played by Veronika Eberle.