The Library of Congress Stradivarius instruments

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The Music Division, created in 1896, now contains about eight million items, such as book collections, music manuscripts, literary manuscripts, microforms, copyright deposits, among others. The Music Division began its collection of instruments when a woman by the name of Mrs. Gertrude Clarke Whittall, together with violinist Louis Krasner, worked together to locate five Antonio Stradivari instruments, including the Stradivarius violin. Mrs. Whittall, known for her soirees musicales which were held in her home, wanted her own instruments, and soon enough, bought a set of them in 1934 and 1935. These instruments were the “Castelbarco”, the “Cassavetti,” the “Ward,” the “Castelbarco”, and the “Betts”. The purchase of these instruments led to the Whittall Pavilion, which was completed and established in 1939.

Numerous musical collections exist in the Library of Congress, including the Cremonese Collection. The first ensemble to regularly play the Stradivari instruments was the Budapest String Quartet. After the Budapest String Quartet, the Julliard String Quartet continued to play the Stradivari instruments, and to this day, they continue this tradition in the Coolidge Auditorium.

Other musical collections include: the Wilkins Collection, the Miller Collection, and the Thai Collection. The Wilkins Collection was the second instrument collection established at the Library, and includes six stringed instruments, all of which were donated by Dr. H. Blaikiston Wilkins. The Miller Collection was the third collection to be established, and this collection not only includes more than 1,600 instruments, but thousands of pieces of music and books as well. The Thai collection includes instruments such as the ching, the thon, the rammana, the khlui, the ja-khe, and many others.

Updated & expanded — current sourced facts

The reference notes below were added by the Stradivarius Violins editorial team to bring the original article up to date with current, sourced facts (including modern auction records and present-day instrument locations). They supplement — and do not replace — the original article above. Valuation figures are reported market and auction history, not financial or appraisal advice.

The Library of Congress in Washington, D.C. houses one of the most significant collections of Stradivari instruments held in public trust in the United States. The collection consists of a matched quartet comprising two violins, a viola, and a cello, all crafted by the legendary Italian luthier Antonio Stradivari. This celebrated ensemble came to the Library through the generosity of Gertrude Clarke Whittall, who donated the instruments and provided an endowment to establish the Whittall Pavilion, which was dedicated in 1939. Her vision ensured that these remarkable instruments would not remain silent in a vault but would instead be played regularly for audiences.

Among the notable instruments in the collection are the Betts violin and the Castelbarco cello, each with its own rich performance history. Rather than serving solely as museum pieces, the Stradivari quartet has been integral to the Library's concert programming since its acquisition. The Budapest String Quartet was among the distinguished ensembles that performed on these instruments, establishing a tradition of live performance that continues to this day. Subsequent resident quartets have maintained this practice, bringing the sound of Stradivari craftsmanship to contemporary listeners.

The Library of Congress's role as a custodian of these instruments reflects the institution's commitment to preserving musical heritage while making it accessible through performance. The collection represents a rare opportunity for the public to experience Stradivari instruments in their intended context—being played by skilled musicians in a concert setting rather than observed behind glass.

This page updates and corrects an original stradivariusviolins.org article with current, sourced facts.

Sources: Library of Congress — Stradivari instruments / Whittall Collection. Educational information only — not financial, investment, or appraisal advice. See our sources & fact-check policy.

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