The distinguishing characteristics of old age work may be briefly summed up in a few words--heaviness in design and uncertainty of execution. Good, even brilliant, conceptions may be started on new work, but the execution of them shows weakness, or even inability to carry them out well. We will apply this as a kind of test when overlooking the specimens handed down to us as being the production of the great Cremonese master at the age of between eighty and ninety-three years of age. If doing this simply from the connoisseur's point of view, without admitting any such influences as present or past monetary value, former ownership, in short, thrusting aside all considerations of pedigree, we shall soon have to divide them into two sections, one of which will be acknowledged by all connoisseurs to be really representative of the true Stradivarian manner adhered to strictly through a long working career, but with the only fault of not quite so well being said of it. Thus the sound holes, as before referred to in the tracings, were becoming heavier at the lower part and with a tendency in other details towards ruggedness. The varnish has a thicker and less dainty aspect, although of excellent quality still, but there is an impression of heaviness. In the carving of the scroll the same character prevails, the edges of the turns are stouter and at the back the grooves down to the shell are less refined in their execution. All these little specialities of touch, but no modifications, are the natural manifestation of the peculiar physical condition of the master at a very advanced age.
Let us now turn to the other section, that over some of which there is excellent reason for disputation, over others none.
It will be readily acceded that Stradivari at no time during his career ever favoured any exaggeration of curve in the design of his sound holes, there was always present the indication of a desire for a fine balance of parts, in fact, his ideal seems always to have been that of increasing, if possible, the elegance of the Amati sound holes while adding to its substantial aspect.
In some of what we have called the second section we find a lively, fine and rich transparent varnish such as Carlo Bergonzi was particularly an adept at; on the same instrument will be sound holes, that a moment's consideration will remove any hesitation as to the design being other than Carlo Bergonzi. As this remarkable artist had several types of sound holes, and no one knows how many subtypes, at his finger ends, a little knowledge of his two most opposite ones will bring at once to mind that he must have had a hand in no inconsiderable portion of what is called Stradivari's late work, as here is found the inclining inwards of his sound holes with the smaller upper part and heavier lower end. This will be found accompanied by the square looking upper part of the waist curve, the two things being alone almost sufficient to stamp the whole as being by Carlo Bergonzi, but here pedigree has stepped in and it was always called a Stradivari.