Welcome to AirNManky's Cabinet of Curiosity's, a production of I Heart Radio and Grimm

and Mild.

Our world is full of the unexplainable.

And if history is an open book, all of these amazing tales are right there on display,

just waiting for us to explore.

Welcome to the Cabinet of Curiosity's.

When it comes to musical instruments, certain names tend to jump out, even to non-musicians,

Gibson, Les Paul, Steinway, and perhaps the most prestigious of them all, Stradivarius.

A Stradivarius violin is widely considered to be the finest string instrument ever made.

Some experts attribute the quality to the method of their construction.

More recent findings suggest the cool temperatures at which the trees grew between 1645 and 1750

led to their superior sound.

For Antoni Stradivari, it was his love of music and woodworking, which he poured into every

instrument he crafted that made them so coveted.

Born in Cremona, Italy around 1644, Stradivari was a prentist to the notable instrument maker

Nicola Amati by the time he was just 12 years old.

Under Amati's tutelage, Stradivari learned how to shape wood into curves and carve or

knit headstocks for his violins.

Over time, he honed his techniques, manufacturing musical instruments under his own unique style.

Early Stradivarius violins were a bit smaller in size compared to his later works, which

were not only larger but more ornates and deliberate in their design.

They featured deep bevels along their edges and richer colorings thanks to a darker

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