I was a boy of fourteen when Mum thought I would benefit from learning to play an instrument, after completely failing at the trumpet and getting bored with piano lessons and well we did the recorder flute at school, she went out and bought a violin from a second hand shop for £3 (that was quite expensive in 1956).
I sort of practised at it and managed a scale or two, then Mum thought if I cleaned it at woodwork, I would take more interest. Really I was not musical.
Nor did I know anything about violin maintenance. The woodwork master, and old and experienced carpenter by the name of Mr Campy recommended that I cleaned of the dirty varnish and stain and replace.
I dismantled the stem from the resonator and could not work out how to remove the strings, but I persevered and sanded away the coating down to the wood.
While I was doing this I looked through the little "f" shaped slot and saw a signature, "Stradivarius" it said.
I vaguely recalled that this may be valuable so I stopped what I was doing, no-one took any notice, and basically the thing could not be played so I put it in a cupboard with the cat-gut bow.
Some years later, when I was a bit more awake (I was under psychiatric treatment, I think the doctor imaged he had caught a delinquent - untrue), I took the damaged violin to a fairly good music shop who said it was worth £3000 in its present condition - a huge sum of money in 1960.
I asked that the instrument be taken to a quality workshop and restored, It went to the Stradivarius society restoration workshop, and then given to a promising young violinist to help with (her) studies. I thought a ordinary person would be suitable, someone of my class.
It was duly repaired, I paid for this, and presented to a young lady student musician with some publicity on the media.
The psychiatrist, of course, thought I had stolen it.....
Chris.
24/12/2011