1939 A.E. Smith Viola

This is the interior of a remarkable viola, made in Melbourne in 1939 by the celebrated Australian luthier A. E. Smith MBE. Sometimes described as the “Australian Stradivari”, Smith became particularly renowned for the quality of his instruments, particularly his varnish, which many luthiers describe as being extremely close to Stradivari's own. Born in England, Smith moved to Melbourne around 1915, establishing himself far from the established centres of European violin making. Despite that distance, his instruments would go on to be played by some of the greatest musicians of the twentieth century, including Yehudi Menuhin, Ruggiero Ricci, and David Oistrakh. Smith’s violas are among his most sought-after instruments, and this particularly fine - and rather large - example is played by Thomas Higham of Orchestra Victoria. It is one of a pair of Smith violas owned by Paul McMillan, Principal Viola of the same orchestra. It is an extraordinary privilege to photograph such an important piece of Australian musical heritage, here in the city where it was made nearly a century ago.