Date and Place of Birth of Antonio Stradivari—His Instructor in the Art of Violin Making—Peculiarity of His Early Work, Nothing Striking, but Slowly Progressive—Which of the Designs of His Master He was Most Impressed by, and His Own Modifications for Improvement—His Departure from the House of His Master Free to Carry Out His Own Inclinations

Details of Further Improvements upon His New Designs—Modification of the Soundholes—The Amati Varnish and Stradivari's—His Secrecy of Method in Working—His Knowledge of What was Wanted and Efforts at Advance in Tone Quality

The Date of the True Stradivarian Individuality—Alterations in Design—Proportions Settled for Good—The Exceptions—The "Long Strad"—The "Inlaid Strads"—An Acknowledged Master of His Art—Black Edging—The Arching and Channelling—The Brescians, the Amatis and Stradivari

Lesser Known Patterns of Stradivari—The Treatment of the Scroll by Him—The Individuality and Maturing of the Style—The Purfling

Stradivari's Great Success—His So-called "Grand Epoch"—His Patrons—His Violins Reputed for Tone when Quite New and Sought After—The Help He Received—His Assistants and Pupils—Parts of the Work Requiring His Individual Touch—The Members of His Family who may have Assisted Him—Stradivari's Varnish—His Imitators

Some Modifications in Stradivari's Works—Variation in Finish of Details—The Interior of His Violins—The Blocks and Linings—The Bar—Thicknesses of the Tables—Heads or Scrolls of His Different Periods

Stradivari's Tone and System—Those of His Pupils and Assistants—Qualities of Tone Produced in Different Localities

The Reputed Golden Period of Stradivari Late in Life—His Later Modifications of Design—Signs of Old Age Appearing—The Help He Received

Evidences in Stradivari's Work of Old Age—His Death and Burial—Work Left by Him—The Advance in Value of His Work Since His Decease