The violins of Nicolò Amati (1596–1684), the preeminent violin maker of the Amati family of instrument builders, were known for their elegant design, responsiveness, and sweet sound, although they lacked the strength of violins by later makers such as Antonio Stradivari and Guarneri "del Gesù." Nicolò Amati single-handedly carried on the Cremonese tradition of fine violin making after famine and disease in the years around 1630 had wiped out virtually all of the top violin makers in both Cremona and nearby Brescia; not surprisingly, violins from this period are very rare. Amati's many students included Andrea Guarneri, Giovanni Battista Rogeri, and possibly Antonio Stradivari, among others.

This heavily-used instrument was modernized in the middle of the nineteenth century to meet the changing needs of players. Around that time, a painted decoration was added to the back and ribs. The painted and gilt dedication on the ribs reads: PREMIER PRIX [DÉ]CERNÉ á PAUL JULIEN CONSERVATOIRE NATIONAL DE M[USIQUE]. This inscription indicates that the violin was a prize awarded to the child prodigy Paul Julien (b. 1841) after he won first prize at the Paris Conservatory in 1850.

In 1977, the violin was refitted to the present setup with a shorter fingerboard and gut strings by the Dutch luthier Fred J. Lindeman. This setup more closely resembles the state of the violin before its nineteenth century restoration.