Andrea Amati ‘King’ cello poster

Thought to be the oldest surviving cello in the world, the ‘King’ provides a wealth of information about Amati’s techniques. Although the instrument has undergone extensive modifications over the centuries, it is the only decorated Amati cello to have retained its original scroll. In the 16th century it formed part of the instrument collection of the French royal court. ‘In Amati’s design the forces of traction of the strings are perfectly balanced by the resistive forces of its surprisigly light and complex architecture. The whole structure sits balanced in perfect equilibrium’ – Andrew Dipper in the May 2015 issue of The Strad