Antonio Stradivari (; 1644 – 18 December 1737) was an Italian
luthier and a crafter of
stringed instruments such as
violins,
cellos,
guitars,
violas and
harps. Stradivari is generally considered the most significant and greatest artisan in this field. The
Latinized form of his surname,
Stradivarius, as well as the colloquial "Strad" are terms often used to refer to his instruments. The Hills Violin Shop estimate that Antonio produced 1,116 instruments, of which 960 were violins. It is also estimated that around 650 of these instruments survive, including 450 to 512 violins.