This article features the several Antonious Stradivarius stamps from a variety of countries. In the world of musical instruments, there is one name that stands above all others. There is one name that has become a household word. It has come to represent the very highest achievement of artistic skill. That name is Antonio Stradivari, or more famously the Latinized version: Antonious Stradivarius. This violin maker in Cremona, Italy, has been celebrated for three centuries. He is also depicted on several postage stamps.
Musical instrument makers on stamps are very rare. However, there are several such stamps that I have featured in other posts. This includes the builder and inventor Adolphe Sax and the guitar innovator John Dopyera. A German stamp honors the violin maker Mathias Klotz. Yet, no maker has been depicted on stamps as much as Antonio Stradivari. This post is about the stamps featuring this famous instrument builder.
Antonio Stradivari
It is thought that Antonio Stradivari was born around the year 1644. We know very little about his early life. There are various theories about how he learned the craft of violin making. One of the early surviving violins by Stradivari is from 1666 and bears a label that says “Alumnus Nicolai Amati.” Did Stradivari learn from this famous maker in Cremona at the time? There is no record of a relationship between these two men. Did Stradivari merely give credit to a great maker who inspired him to create violins? Did he study with a different maker? Teach himself the craft? We will probably never know for certain.
His Instruments
Violins and other instruments by Stradivari exist from the 1660s and 1670s. By the year 1680, he was already a well-respected instrument maker. In addition to making instruments of the violin family (violin, cello, viola), Stradivari also made guitars, mandolins, and even a harp. He was also highly innovative, experimenting with the form of the violin and cello including their outline and their carving. The period between 1700 and 1720 is known as his “golden period,” the time from which many of his best known instruments were built.
Antonio Stradivari was aided in his work by his sons, Francesco and Omobono. With their assistance, Stradivari made instruments until his death in 1737 at the age of 92 or 93. Probably more than 600 instruments from his workshop survive. His instruments were highly regarded during his lifetime, but it was after his death that his fame really grew. In the nineteenth century, concerts halls became much larger. Virtuoso violinists wanted instruments that could project in these large spaces. Stradivari violins, with some modifications, were capable of playing loud enough for these halls. There was also the added mystique of playing an “antique” instrument.
Stradivari violins are known for their beauty of tone ability to project. As objects, they have a reputation for their consistent, beautiful craftsmanship. They are still favorites of violinists and audiences. Stradivari’s instruments regularly sell for millions of dollars. Learn more about Antonio Stradivari and his instruments in this article.
The Stamps
Edouard Hamman, 19th century
There are no images of Stradivari from his lifetime. However, in the nineteenth century, some artists made historical paintings that imagine him in his workshop. The most famous of these paintings is by the Belgian artist Edouard Hamman. It is the image that most often appears to represent the violin maker. It is also the work that all of the postage stamps in honor of Stradivari depict.
Bicentennial of Stradivari’s Death
(L) Scott Number IT 388
(R) cott Number IT IT 395
The year 1937 saw a celebration of the work of Stradivari commemorating the bicentennial of his death. Around the world, there were special concerts and events. There was also a major exhibition of his instruments in his hometown of Cremona, Italy. That year, Italy also created two stamps depicting Stradivari as part of a set of stamps celebrating famous Italians. Both of the stamps have the same vertical design, featuring a portion of the Hamman painting. It shows Stradivari sitting at his workbench examining a violin. The lower denomination stamp was in red and the higher was gray. The lower denomination stamp is rather common, while the higher price stamp is more difficult to find.
250th Anniversary
Scott Number MX 1531
In a similar way, there were celebrations of Stradivari in 1987 for the 250th anniversary of his death. There were publications, concerts, and other events honoring his work and legacy. Another major exhibition featuring his instruments was held in Cremona. And, once again, there was a celebratory postage stamp. Only this time, the issuing country was Mexico.
The stamp also uses the Hamman painting in its depiction of Stradivari. While it features Stradivari in the same pose, the stamp has a horizontal orientation that allows more of the painting to appear on the stamp. This expanded view shows several violins sitting on the workbench and several more hanging on the wall along with tools of the craft. The depiction on the stamp is sketch-like, rather than sharp like the Italian stamps. The stamp is white and the image is in violet ink.
While Italy did not issue a stamp in 1987 in honor of Stradivari, the town of Cremona did have a “fancy cancel” that once again features the image of the great maker from the Hamman painting.
375th Anniversary of Stradivari’s Birth
The death of Stradivari is usually cause for celebrations because his birth date is more nebulous. However, in 2019, North Macedonia celebrated the 375th anniversary of Stradivari’s birth (if 1644 is in fact his correct birth year) with a postage stamp. Once again, the stamp uses the Hamman painting for its imagery.
Michel Number HK 896
This most recent Stradivari stamp is also horizontal and though this time is in full color. The stamp looks like a water color painting, with very soft features. The design is a bit more complex than the earlier stamps. On the left side of the stamp is a close up detail of a violin f-hole and the c-bout of a violin. A symbol with a cross and the initials A and S in a circle appears in the upper left. This symbol appears on Stradivari’s labels.
Perhaps you would like to hear one of Stradivari’s great instruments. Here is his “Antonious” violin of 1711 from The Metropolitan Museum of Art.
