This new four-volume set, titled Antonio Stardivari, from violin dealer Jost Thöne and photographer Jan Röhrmann, was several years in the making. It presents luscious life-size photos of 148 instruments by Antonio Stradivari—even cellos on fold-out pages. Many instruments have never been seen in public or published in books.

“It helps to be slightly crazy,” says Thöne, thinking back on the monumental challenges of photographing so many instruments from around the world, many in constant use by busy soloists. Taken together, the instruments have a total estimated value of some €600 million.

The volumes contain a history of every featured instrument written by Alessandra Barabaschi, with comprehensive essays by violin experts Florian Leonhard and Simon Morris (director of J. & A. Beare), both of London; and Carlo Chiesa of Milan. A companion DVD—containing measurements, arching samples, extra and more-detailed views of the instruments, and a live video recording—completes the set. At press time, the voluminous book was due to be launched in October at Mondomusica in Cremona. The hand-numbered library edition is €2,000; the leather-bound deluxe edition, €3,000 from stradivaribooks.com.

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