Beares Publishing Releases “Antonio Stradivari: The Complete Works”

The most comprehensive collection ever published, the six-volume series details all of the instruments Stradivari ever made

To mark the Italian luthier Antonio Stradivari’s 380th birthday anniversary, Beares Publishing, in partnership with London’s J. & A. Beare, has released its new book, Antonio Stradivari: The Complete Works. 

Published in six volumes, it is the most extensive collection of Stradivari’s masterpieces ever assembled and will allow all violin experts, including instrument dealers, researchers, and collectors, equal access to an invaluable archive. 

Born in 1644 in Cremona, Italy, Antonio Stradivari is universally hailed as the most influential violin maker in history. By his death in 1737 at age 93, he had crafted over 1000 instruments, hundreds of which survive to this day. 

The Complete Works features 845 meticulously researched provenances alongside full-color photos of each instrument and rare archival images. 

This collection represents nine years of research by John Dilworth and Duane Rosengard, who were granted exclusive access to privately held archives for their purposes. The book was authored by Simon Morris and Steven Smith, and edited by Mark Gunn and Anna Saldadzé. 

Instruments in The Complete Works include 736 violins, 14 violas, and 69 cellos — featuring their respective labels, chronological origins, ownership, dating of the wood, certificates, and dimensions. The book also includes Stradivari’s six guitars, two mandolins, a lute front, a bow, one harp, and one pochette. 

To purchase Antonio Stradivari: The Complete Works, click here. The book is available as a Deluxe Edition and as a Library Edition.

The collection includes over 200 more instruments than any prior publication, making it an indispensable resource for modern experts, players, and collectors to deepen their understanding of Stradivari’s craft and legacy.

Notably, the book traces the passage of Stradivari’s string instruments through the hands of patrons and players across different countries over hundreds of years. 

Additionally, The Complete Works is an insight into how the violin dealing business has expanded worldwide from its origins in Europe — and the socio-economic shifts of the past three centuries, from aristocratic patrons to modern collectors.

This book also comes as new technologies and rising market demand present new opportunities and challenges; non-invasive scientific tools have enhanced the study of Stradivari’s techniques, while the increasing value of his instruments has raised the stakes for expertise, authenticity, and provenance. 

“This publication is a must-have for anyone with a serious interest in fine instruments and the art of violin making,” violinmaker Robert Brewer Young said. “It is a testament to the enduring influence of Stradivari’s genius, and a vital resource for understanding his instruments’ remarkable journeys through time.”