Detailed pictures of classical Italian instruments abound on the web. Some are only published for a time, for example instruments up for auction. Others are in permanent collections. Some images can be seen for free, while others sources charge a fee for access.
Here's a quick guide to great instruments on the web:
- Permanent collections with extensive free image access:
 
- Browsable free sources with pictures of great instruments:
 
- Collections with pay access to high quality or extensive images:
 
- Collections selling technical drawings or posters of great instruments:
 
- Other important collections:
 
Some instruments from permanent free access collections:
- The Library of Congress Stringed Instruments Collection
 - 1654 Nicolo Amati violin 'Brookings'
 - 1690 Stradivari viola 'Tuscan-Medici'
 - 1699 Stradivari violin 'Castelbarco'
 - 1699 Stradivari cello 'Castelbarco'
 - 1700 Stradivari violin 'Ward'
 - 1704 Stradivari violin 'Betts'
 - 1727 Stradivari viola 'Cassavetti'
 - ca 1730 Guarneri 'Del Gesu' violin 'Baron Vitta'
 - ca 1730 Guarneri 'Del Gesu' violin 'Kreisler'
 
- National Music Museum
 - after 1564 Peregrino di Zanetto viola
 - ca 1560 Andrea Amati viola
 - ca 1550 Andrea Amati cello 'King'
 - ca 1560 Andrea Amati violin
 - 1574 Andrea Amati small violin
 - ca 1595 Brothers Amati violin 'King Henry IV'
 - 1604 Girolamo Amati violin
 - 1609 Girolamo Amati small violin
 - 1613 Girolamo Amati piccolo violin
 - 1628 Nicolo Amati violin
 - before 1632 Giovanni Paolo Maggini violin
 - ca 1650 Jacob Stainer tenor viola
 - 1664 Andrea Guarneri tenor viola
 - 1688 Jacob Stainer violin
 - 1693 Stradivari violin 'Harrison'
 - 1715 Pietro Giacomo Rogeri violin
 - 1781 Nicola Bergonzi viola
 - 1793 Pietro Giovanni Mantegazza viola
 - 1793 Ferdinando Gagliano piccolo cello
 - 1793 Lorenzo Storioni half size violin
 
- Royal Academy of Music Instrument Collection
 - ca 1570 Andrea Amati violin
 - ca 1620 Brothers Amati viola
 - 1629 Brothers Amati violin
 - 1662 Nicolo Amati violin
 - ca 1665 Andrea Guarneri violin
 - ca 1670 Jacob Stainer violin
 - 1671 Nicolo Amati violin
 - 1694 Stradivari violin 'Rutson'
 - 1696 Stradivari viola 'Archinto'
 - 1699 Stradivari violin 'Kustendyke'
 - 1709 Stradivari violin 'Viotti ex Bruce'
 - 1718 Stradivari violin 'Maurin'
 - 1719 Girolamo II Amati violin
 - 1727 David Tecchler violin
 - ca 1734 Stradivari violin 'Habeneck
 - 1737 Antonio Testore violin
 - 1741 Carlo Antonio Testore violin
 - ca 1753 G.B. Guadagnini violin
 - 1755 Nicolo Gagliano violin
 - 1765 G.B. Guadagnini violin
 - ca 1780 Genaro Gagliano violin
 
- Spare Bank Instrument Collection
 - 1580 Gaspar da Salo bass
 - ca 1665 Grancino Brothers viola
 - 1670 Francesco Rugeri violin
 - 1680 Francesco Rugeri cello
 - ca 1680 Francesco Rugeri cello
 - 1689 Stradivari violin 'Arditti'
 - 1690 Francesco Rugeri cello
 - 1695 G.B. Rogeri cello
 - 1703 Giuseppe Guarneri 'filius Andrea' violin
 - 1710 Matteo Gofriller violin
 - 1714 Alessandro Gagliano violin
 - 1721 Matteo Gofriller violin
 - 1725 Matteo Gofriller cello
 - 1735 Carlo Bergonzi violin 'Kreisler'
 - 1744 Guarneri 'Del Gesu' violin
 - 1747 G.B. Guadagnini violin
 - 1748 Gennaro Gagliano cello
 - 1751 G.B. Guadagnini violin
 - 1752 G.B. Guadagnini violin
 - 1754 G.B. Guadagnini violin
 - 1759 Tomasso Balestrieri violin
 - ca 1775 Lorenzo Storioni violin
 - 1781 G.B. Guadagnini viola
 - 1784 G.B. Guadagnini viola
 
- The Ingles & Hayday Four Centuries Gallery
 - Andrea Amati -- viola ca 1570
 - Brothers Amati -- 1596 violin
 - Brothers Amati -- violin ca 1621
 - Brothers Amati -- violin ca 1625
 - Nicolo Amati -- violin ca 1635
 - Nicolo Amati -- violin ca 1640
 - Nicolo Amati -- violin ca 1645
 - Andrea Guarneri -- violin 1662
 - Nicolo Amati -- violin 1665
 - Stradivari -- violin 1667 'Jenkins'
 - Francesco Ruggieri -- violin ca 1670
 - Andrea Guarneri -- violin 1673
 - Nicolo Amati -- violin 1680
 - Francesco Ruggieri -- violin ca 1680
 - Francesco Ruggieri -- violin 1685
 - 'Peter of Mantua' Guarneri -- violin 1685
 - Francesco Ruggieri -- cello 1689
 - Stradivari -- violin 1690 'Stephens'
 - Stradivari -- cello ca 1690 'Bonjour'
 - Andrea Guarneri -- viola ca 1690
 - Girolamo II Amati -- cello ca 1690 'Bonjour'
 - Girolamo II Amati -- violin 1693
 - Girolamo II Amati -- violin 1693
 - Andrea Guarneri -- violin 1694
 - Andrea Guarneri -- violin ca 1695
 - Francesco Ruggieri -- piccolo violin 1696
 - Francesco Ruggieri -- violin 1696
 - Andrea Guarneri -- cello 1697
 - Stradivari -- violin 1699 'Lady Tennant'
 - Matteo Gofriller -- cello 1700
 - Matteo Gofriller -- violin 1703
 - 'Filius' Guarneri -- violin 1703
 - Stradivari -- violin 1703 'Dancla'
 - 'Peter of Mantua' Guarneri -- violin 1704
 - 'Filius' Guarneri -- violin 1705
 - Stradivari -- violin 1707 'La Cathedrale'
 - Stradivari -- decorated violin 1709 'Greffuhle'
 - 'Filius' Guarneri -- violin 1710
 - Stradivari -- cello 1710 'Goore-Booth'
 - Stradivari -- violin 1713 'Kux'
 - 'Filius' Guarneri -- violin 1714
 - Stradivari -- dancing master violin 1720
 - Carlo Bergonzi -- violin ca 1720 'Paganini'
 - Stradivari -- violin 1721 'Lady Blunt'
 - 'Peter of Venice' -- cello 1725
 - Stradivari -- violin 1727 'Reynier'
 - Stradivari -- violin 1729 'Innes'
 - Stradivari -- cello 1730 'Pawle'
 - Stradivari -- violin 1732 'Red Diamond'
 - Stradivari -- cello ca 1732
 - Santo Seraphin -- violin ca 1735
 - Carlo Bergonzi -- violin 1736 'Segelman'
 - Guarneri 'Del Gesu' -- violin 1736 'Pollitzer'
 - Guarneri 'Del Gesu' -- violin 1739 'Menuhin'
 - Santo Seraphin -- violin 1739 'Menuhin'
 - Santo Seraphin -- violin 1740
 - Guarneri 'Del Gesu' -- violin 1741 'Doubleday'
 - Guarneri 'Del Gesu' -- violin 1743 'Baron Heath'
 - Guarneri 'Del Gesu' -- violin 1744 'Ole Bull'
 - 'Peter of Venice' Guarneri -- violin ca 1745
 - 'Peter of Venice' Guarneri -- violin ca 1750
 
Hi David, I want to know what size is recommend for children age 7 years old. My son had cerebral palsy and I will need to try it with the violin he will love to learn but I need to buy the correct size for him. Thank you!!!
ReplyDeleteTwist one of the adjusters for selected string clockwise to create a "sharper" sound or anti-clockwise to make a "flatter"(lower) noise. violin tuner
ReplyDeleteI just tried this out myself before writing this article and 5 out of 10 of the top results offered me the opportunity to tune my guitar on their site, if that isn't convenient I don't know what is. cello teacher
ReplyDelete