Solomon ex-Lambert Stradivarius
Encyclopedia
The Solomon, Ex-Lambert Stradivarius of 1729 is a violin
fabricated by Italian luthier
Antonio Stradivari
of Cremona
(1644-1737). The instrument derives its name from previous owners Seymour Solomon, co-founder of Vanguard Records
, and British violinist, Dorothy Mary Murray Lambert
The Solomon, ex-Lambert comes from Stradivari's mature period and, retains the bold outline, superb arching and quality materials which account for the power, sonority and tonal balance his work is recognized for.
, one of the preeminent connoisseurs of his day who owned no fewer than twenty-four Stradivari instruments. By 1922 the violin was sold through the London dealers of John and Arthur Beare to Ernest E. Winterbotham who paid GB£
1,600 and presented the violin to his wife Dorothy Mary Murray Lambert.
Known as Miss Murray Lambert, she was among the few British women of the 1920s and 1930s who pursued a career as a concert violinist. A student of both Carl Flesch
and Leopold Auer
she was a champion of British contemporary composers and a prolific performer of the works of Sir Hamilton Harty
. It is said that her performances of the Violin Sonata No.1 by Frederick Delius
inspired the artist Hugh Riviere R.A. (1869-1956) to create his final full length portrait, Delius Sonata. By the late 1930s Lambert withdrew from the concert stage to concentrate on teaching which she pursued through the 1950s.
Following Lambert's death the violin was offered at auction in 1972 as “The Property of Miss Murray Lambert,” selling for GB£17,500 to Seymour Solomon.
On 23 February 2007 a demonstration performance of the Solomon, Ex-Lambert by violinist Ruth Palmer
was held for the press launch for the auction by Christie's
. The violin sold for US$2.728 million on 2 April 2007 to an anonymous bidder represented by violin buying agent Ric Heinl.
Violin
The violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
fabricated by Italian luthier
Luthier
A luthier is someone who makes or repairs lutes and other string instruments. In the United States, the term is used interchangeably with a term for the specialty of each maker, such as violinmaker, guitar maker, lute maker, etc...
Antonio Stradivari
Antonio Stradivari
Antonio Stradivari was an Italian luthier and a crafter of string instruments such as violins, cellos, guitars, violas, and harps. Stradivari is generally considered the most significant artisan in this field. The Latinized form of his surname, Stradivarius, as well as the colloquial, "Strad", is...
of Cremona
Cremona
Cremona is a city and comune in northern Italy, situated in Lombardy, on the left bank of the Po River in the middle of the Pianura Padana . It is the capital of the province of Cremona and the seat of the local City and Province governments...
(1644-1737). The instrument derives its name from previous owners Seymour Solomon, co-founder of Vanguard Records
Vanguard Records
Vanguard Records is a record label set up in 1950 by brothers Maynard and Seymour Solomon in New York. It started as a classical label, but is perhaps best known for its catalogue of recordings by a number of pivotal folk and blues artists from the 1960s; the Bach Guild was a subsidiary...
, and British violinist, Dorothy Mary Murray Lambert
The Solomon, ex-Lambert comes from Stradivari's mature period and, retains the bold outline, superb arching and quality materials which account for the power, sonority and tonal balance his work is recognized for.
Provenance
The first recorded owner of the Solomon, Ex-Lambert Stradivarius was Berlin dealer and expert August Riechers who sold it to ‘Miss Price’, a student of the violin studying in Berlin at the time. From Price the violin passed to the venerable English collector Robert BowerRobert Bower
Robert Bower may refer to:*Sir Robert Lister Bower , British Army, colonial and police officer*Robert W. Bower , American applied physicist*Robert Tatton Bower , British Conservative politician, MP for Cleveland, 1931–1945...
, one of the preeminent connoisseurs of his day who owned no fewer than twenty-four Stradivari instruments. By 1922 the violin was sold through the London dealers of John and Arthur Beare to Ernest E. Winterbotham who paid GB£
Pound sterling
The pound sterling , commonly called the pound, is the official currency of the United Kingdom, its Crown Dependencies and the British Overseas Territories of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, British Antarctic Territory and Tristan da Cunha. It is subdivided into 100 pence...
1,600 and presented the violin to his wife Dorothy Mary Murray Lambert.
Known as Miss Murray Lambert, she was among the few British women of the 1920s and 1930s who pursued a career as a concert violinist. A student of both Carl Flesch
Carl Flesch
Carl Flesch was a violinist and teacher.Carl Flesch was born in Moson in Hungary in 1873. He began playing the violin at seven years of age. At 10, he was taken to Vienna, and began to study with Jakob Grün. At 17, he left for Paris, and joined the Paris Conservatoire...
and Leopold Auer
Leopold Auer
Leopold Auer was a Hungarian violinist, teacher, conductor and composer.-Early life and career:...
she was a champion of British contemporary composers and a prolific performer of the works of Sir Hamilton Harty
Hamilton Harty
Sir Hamilton Harty was an Irish and British composer, conductor, pianist and organist. In his capacity as a conductor, he was particularly noted as an interpreter of the music of Berlioz and he was much respected as a piano accompanist of exceptional prowess...
. It is said that her performances of the Violin Sonata No.1 by Frederick Delius
Frederick Delius
Frederick Theodore Albert Delius, CH was an English composer. Born in the north of England to a prosperous mercantile family of German extraction, he resisted attempts to recruit him to commerce...
inspired the artist Hugh Riviere R.A. (1869-1956) to create his final full length portrait, Delius Sonata. By the late 1930s Lambert withdrew from the concert stage to concentrate on teaching which she pursued through the 1950s.
Following Lambert's death the violin was offered at auction in 1972 as “The Property of Miss Murray Lambert,” selling for GB£17,500 to Seymour Solomon.
On 23 February 2007 a demonstration performance of the Solomon, Ex-Lambert by violinist Ruth Palmer
Ruth Palmer
Ruth Palmer is an acclaimed young British violinist, an exponent of music ranging from Bach to Shostakovich and beyond, who was named "Young Classical Performer of the Year" at the Classical BRITs in 2007.-Career:...
was held for the press launch for the auction by Christie's
Christie's
Christie's is an art business and a fine arts auction house.- History :The official company literature states that founder James Christie conducted the first sale in London, England, on 5 December 1766, and the earliest auction catalogue the company retains is from December 1766...
. The violin sold for US$2.728 million on 2 April 2007 to an anonymous bidder represented by violin buying agent Ric Heinl.