Nicolò Amati Violin: the "King Louis XIV"

Amati, Nicolo · 1656

<p>This violin was made by Nicolò Amati in Cremona, Italy in 1656. It is the <i>King Loius XIV</i> violin with a top of spruce with grain of narrow width, one-piece back of slab cut maple with medium width flame mostly horizontal, ribs and volute of quarter sawn maple with narrower flame, double purfling to the top and back, mastic fleur-de-lys inlays to the corners of the top and back and to the rib joints, and varnish of a golden-brown color over a golden ground. There is an original printed label inside the instrument:</p>