The year 1716 had a particularly rich yield in that it saw Stradivari craft some of his most prominent instruments, like the ‘Messiah’, the ‘Salabue’, the ‘Medici’, the ‘Cessol’, and the ‘Berthier’ featured here. The violin was first named after Napoleon’s Chief of Staff, Louis Alexandre Berthier (1753–1815), who was a French nobleman and probably acquired the instrument during the French occupation of Spain. Its second name pays tribute to the Hungarian virtuoso Franz von Vecsey (1893–1935), who was a renowned prodigy and particularly appreciated by none other than Joseph Joachim.
More information: Antonio Stradivari Set 1, Volume 3, Page 180