The Ashmolean's collection of European of European stringed instruments is not large but it is renowned. Several of the instruments in the Ashmolean are among the rarest and most beautiful of
their kind and most are, in some way, exceptional. The collection was founded on a group of instruments which was given to the Museum by the firm of W.E. Hill & Sons in 1939 and has since
been increased by two bequests and by an important group of bows and instruments given by Albert Cooper in 1999.
The firm of W.E. Hill & Sons was founded in 1880 and by the early 20th century the firm had achieved an unrivalled reputation in making, restoring, and selling stringed instruments. In the
course of handling and repairing instruments, the Hills became increasingly aware of the damage that was being inflicted on early viols and violins by constant playing and repeated restoration.
This concern gave rise to the idea of donating a select group of rare instruments to a museum where they would be preserved from further harm, and the first instruments were handed over in
1939.
This handbook discusses and illustrates stringed instruments in the collection and sets the instruments in context with background history.
