A highlight of The Met's collection of musical instruments, "The Gould" violin after which our bookmark is styled was crafted in 1693 by the master luthier, Antonio Stradivari (Italian, 1644-1737). While 17th- and 18th-century stringed instruments remain in use, nearly all of them have been modified to produce a larger, louder sound suited to modern concert halls. In 1975, the Museum commissioned Dutch luthier Frederick J. Lindeman to modify "The Gould" back to a Baroque configuration. It's now the only violin by Stradivari to be returned to its original setup and regularly used in the performance of period music.