Antonio Gerardi
The Man
Arturo Toscanini
Arturo Toscanini was one of the most influential conductors of the 20th century, renowned for his extraordinary precision, intensity, and uncompromising musical standards. His work with the NBC Symphony Orchestra brought his performances to audiences across the United States and beyond. Among the musicians Toscanini personally called upon was violinist Antonio Gerardi. Gerardi’s biography records that in 1931 he came to New York at Toscanini’s request to become a member of the Philharmonic-Symphony. When Toscanini planned a South American tour with the NBC Symphony, he again requested that Gerardi join the orchestra. Gerardi played a 1737 Stradivarius violin, acquired from the Mckay Estate, and maintained a collection of fine bows and rare musical scores. His collection included first editions of Handel, Haydn, and Verdi, and among his gifts to Toscanini was a first edition of Handel’s The Creation. This connection places Gerardi’s Stradivarius not only within the history of a remarkable musician, but within the extraordinary musical circle surrounding Toscanini and the NBC Symphony.
Gordon McKay
The Myth
McKay’s name today graces 40 Harvard professorships, numerous fellowships, and a building. He made a fortune in shoe machinery and gave it all (now grown to half a billion dollars) to support applied sciences at the University. His inventiveness, shrewdness, cultural ambitions, and complex love life all helped shape the foundations of the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences. (Read the full article here.)
Antonio Stradivari
The Legend
Antonio Stradivari (c. 1644–1737) was an Italian master violin maker from Cremona, widely regarded as the greatest luthier in history. Working during the golden age of Italian instrument making, he built violins, violas, and cellos whose craftsmanship, tone, and projection became legendary, and his instruments, known as Stradivarius, remain among the most prized and sought-after violins in the world today. ( Read more here.)
Stradivarius
The authentication journey of this 1737 McKay Stradivarius violin took over 10 years, involving extensive research, expert analysis and professional consultation. The ACV (actual cash value) assessed by Lloyd’s of London September 2025 was 10 million USD, proof positive of authenticity and valuation. Its journey reminds us that history is not always found in museums, sometimes it‘s waiting to be rediscovered...