Baron Johann Knoop (22 July 1846, Moscow – 1882, St. Magnus), was a collector of musical instruments who possessed a total of 29 great violins, violas, and cellos at one time or another including some four Stradivari violas. Several instruments are named after him:
- Baron Knoop Stradivarius (1698)
- Alard-Baron Knoop Stradivarius (1715)
- Baron Knoop; ex-Bevan Stradivarius (1715)
Knoop's father, Johann Ludwig Knoop (1821-1894), emigrated from Germany to Russia, founded a textile industry in Narva, Estonia, and was granted the Russian title of "Baron", which he passed to his sons.
Famous quotes containing the word baron:
“The wrinkles in my brow,
The furrows in my face,
Say, limping age will lodge him now
Where youth must give him place.”
—Thomas Vaux, 2d Baron Vaux Of Harrowden (1510–1566)