Trained as a harpsichord, organ, and violin maker, Mr. Pollens is the author of numerous scholarly articles and books on the history of musical instruments, including The Violin Forms of Antonio Stradivari (1992), The Early Pianoforte (1995; reprint 2009), Giuseppe Guarneri del Gesù (1998), François-Xavier Tourte: Bow Maker (2001), and Stradivari (2010). In 1997 he was the recipient of the American Musical Instrument Society's Nicholas Bessaraboff Prize for The Early Pianoforte, a study of the invention and early history of the piano. Mr. Pollens is a contributor to The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians and writes frequently for The Strad. In 1999, Mr. Pollens made a number of discoveries that led him to challenge the authenticity of the "Messiah" violin, which for over 150 years has been considered to be the best preserved example of Stradivari's work. His revelations about this instrument led to a storm of controversy that is still raging today. Among his recent activities was his analysis of Stradivari's violin varnish, which was published in the May 2009 issue of The Strad magazine. Between 1976 and 2006, Mr. Pollens served as the conservator of musical instruments at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. In 2007 he formed Violin Advisor, LLC, a consulting firm that advises musicians, orchestras, conservatories, and investors on the purchase of fine violins.Read more about this authorRead less about this author