"Huggins" is an attractive and typical example of Stradivari' s work and is in an excellent state of preservation. The varnish is of a rich orange colour to gold on the back. Judging from its current condition and history of owners, it is clear that it has been in caring hands who appreciated its precious value. The first concrete record shows that the instrument was brought to W.E. Hill & Sons in about 1880 by Old Zach of Vienna. It was then sold to William Huggins, a well known British astronomer whose name this instrument bears. It belonged to four different owners since then and in 1931, the violin was sold to Charles Petschek of New York and it remained in his family until being purchased from his heirs by the well-known soloist Cho-Liang Lin in around 1989. Mr. Lin has used it in almost all his concerts and CD recordings since then. This violin has always had a reputation for superb sound. In March 1995, with the support of The Nippon Foundation, Nippon Music Foundation purchased this instrument from Cho-Liang Lin.