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The “Maurin” is in some ways a transitional instrument, marking the end of the greatest creativity of the “Golden Period” and introducing the relative conservatism of the so-called “Mature Period” from 1718 until the late 1720s. It appears to have been made on the form marked “P”, dated 1705, which is a slightly smaller pattern than the most flamboyant examples of the “Golden Period”. Nevertheless the arching is very powerfully constructed, with a strong cross-curve in the middle bouts, an aspect which was to be developed in subsequent years. The upright placing of the very slender soundholes is also very different to the broadly cut and sometimes steeply sloping ‘f ’s of the 1713-1714 instruments and seems to indicate a desire to stiffen the centre of the vibrating plate. The scroll also has the delicacy of earlier work, with a light chamfer from which all traces of the black edging has disappeared. The very finely figured maple of the "golden period" is still in evidence on the back, while the spruce of the front is of generally fi ne but variable growth. h e varnish has lost some of its depth over the years, and the colour has diminished slightly from the earlier deep red to a warm orange. It is in very fine condition, despite having been in continuous use by a succession of leading players since the XIXth century.
Prior to 1860 the violin was owned by the collector Count de Chaponay of Lyons, from whom the Italian connoisseur Luigi Tarisio obtained it. It was subsequently used by the French violinist Romheause and Boucher before coming to Jean Pierre Maurin, whose name it still bears. He played it from 1870 to 1883, after which it was bought by John Rutson, the benefactor of the Royal Academy of Music of London, in whose collection it now resides. During its life there it has been in continuous use by Peter Cropper of the Lindsay Quartet and Howard Davies of the Alberni Quartet.
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