ers, were produced--six in number.
Tarisio was asked to name his price for the six. After much giving and
taking they became the property of the luthier. This business was not
regarded as satisfactory by Tarisio; he had overestimated the value of
his goods in the Paris market; he had not learned that it was he
himself who was to create the demand for high-class Italian
instruments by spreading them far and wide, so that their incomparable
qualities might be observed. He returned to Italy with his ardour
somewhat cooled; the ready sale at the prices he had put upon his
stock was not likely to be realised, he began to think. However, with
the proceeds of his Paris transaction he again started in search of
more Cremonas, with about the same satisfactory results. He resolved
to visit Paris again, taking with him some of his choicest specimens.
He reached the French capital with a splendid collection--one that in
these days would create a complete _furore_ throughout the world of
Fiddles. He extended his acquaintance with the Parisian luthiers,
among whom were MM. Vuillaume, Thibout, and Chanot senior. They were
all delighted with the gems that Tarisio had brought, and encouraged
him to bring to France as many more as he could procure, and at
regular intervals. He did so, and obtained at each visit better
prices.

[Illustration: _Plate XX_. GASPARO DA SALO. (LATE LORD AMHERST OF
HACKNEY.) GIUSEPPE GUARNERI DEL GESU. 1735. (PRINCE FREDERICK WILLIAM
OF PRUSSIA.)]

This remarkable man may be said to have lived for nought else but his
Fiddles. Mr. Charles Reade, who knew him well, says:[1] "The man's
whole soul was in Fiddles. He was a great dealer, but a greater
amateur; he had gems by him no money would buy from him." It is
related of him that he was in Paris upon one occasion, walking along
the Boulevards with a friend, when a handsome equipage belonging to a
French magnate passed, the beauty of which was the talk of the city.
Tarisio's attention being directed to it by his friend, he calmly
answered him that "_he would sooner possess one 'Stradivari' than
twenty such equipages_." There is a very characteristic anecdote of
Tarisio, which is also related by Mr. Reade in his article on Cremona
Violins, entitled the "Romance of Fiddle-dealing":

"Well, one day Georges Chanot, senior, made an excursion to Spain, to
see if he could find anything there. He found mighty little, but
coming to the shop of a Fiddle-maker, one Orteg