Secrets of Stradivari found in Po River

[MeyerFittings]

An enormous 500 year old catfish was caught by a fisherman in the Po River with a bottle of the varnish used in the workshop of famed violin maker Antonio  Stradivari. Italian chemists hope to isolate recipe.    

[BassClef]

An enormous 500 year old catfish was caught by a fisherman in the Po River with a bottle of the varnish used in the workshop of famed violin maker Antonio  Stradivari. Italian chemists hope to isolate recipe.

Snopes did an article debunking this a few months ago. The fish while initially appearing to be five centuries old was later determined to be about 100-140 years old and from the markneukirchen region and was assumed to have spawned future east in the Crimea River. The local marine lab performed an Endocrinology test which confirmed that it's glands were at most 140 years old. Confusion appears to stem from the antiqued appearance of the big fish, caused by the once pure waters of the markneukirchen region, now polluted by centuries of luthier varnish runoff.

[Julian Cossmann Cooke]

Looks like Schoenbach to me.  Jacob Saunders, where are you when we need you?!

[martin swan]

I'm sorry, but you can clearly see from the shape of the ventral fin that this is an Eastern European or Bohemian catfish. The size is a direct consequence of exposure to radioactivity, and I wouldn't be surprised if this fish is no more than 30 years old.

What with some tricky photography and the use of a dwarf posing as a macho fisherman, this is a typical "mutton dressed as lamb" scenario. It's also perfectly obvious to the expert eye that this catfish has been antiqued for the purposes of the photo by splattering a bit of mud from the riverbank all over it.

For shame ...

[Mark Neukirchen]

Snopes did an article debunking this a few months ago. The fish while initially appearing to be five centuries old was later determined to be about 100-140 years old and from the markneukirchen region and was assumed to have spawned future east in the Crimea River. The local marine lab performed an Endocrinology test which confirmed that it's glands were at most 140 years old. Confusion appears to stem from the antiqued appearance of the big fish, caused by the once pure waters of the markneukirchen region, now polluted by centuries of luthier varnish runoff.

 

Just an interesting tidbit about who and what Snopes really is...

http://accuracyinpolitics.blogspot.com/2013/05/snopes-got-snoped.html

[Rue]

...Geez! April 1st sure came early this year....

[mrfiddle]

Unless this fish has been authenticated by an expert in 500 year old catfish, I feel we have no business commenting on it. Perhaps the hatchery that originally spawned the fish is still in business and could be contacted for further information.

[BassClef]

Just an interesting tidbit about who and what Snopes really is...

http://accuracyinpolitics.blogspot.com/2013/05/snopes-got-snoped.html

I believe snopes debunked that link too. But back to the OP, these guys post Instagram images from multiple accounts all with similar looking oversized fish with suspiciously identical scales. The big giveaway is the nearly identical ocean water shown in each image.

[Mark Neukirchen]

I believe snopes debunked that link too.

 

Surely you jest

[Stephen Faulk]

I think the fins are not original. Probably replaced by a 19th century Icthyologist. Eventually the original fins might surface in a collection and can be attributed to this particular catfish. If so the the ray count in the original fins could shed light on it's actual date via the science of  Findochronlogy. 

 

Until then any claims of connections to Stradivari are dubious at best.

 

Nice try Meyers, nice try.  

[MeyerFittings]

Actually, according to this news report, this was not the largest catfish ever caught in the Po. The largest was a 298 lb. specimen that when cut open revealed a skeleton later identified as Lorenzo Guadagnini. Foul play was suspected.

[BassClef]

Actually, according to this news report, this was not the largest catfish ever caught in the Po. The largest was a 298 lb. specimen that when cut open revealed a skeleton later identified as Lorenzo Guadagnini. Foul play was suspected.

 

I'd ask that you refrain from commenting on Lorenzo Guadagnini until you've read all of the current scholarly research (or at least snopes).

[Uncle Bob]

So many confused articles.  The fish was not 500 years old.  The colophany in the laquer had to be cooked at low temperature for 500 years before it would darken and turn red.

 

Just an interesting tidbit about who and what Snopes really is...

http://accuracyinpolitics.blogspot.com/2013/05/snopes-got-snoped.html

 

Accuracy in Politics is every bit as trustworthy as Fox News.  Here is a bit more data on that Snopes issue, http://www.factcheck.org/2009/04/snopescom/

[Mark Neukirchen]

Accuracy in Politics is every bit as trustworthy as Fox News.  Here is a bit more data on that Snopes issue, http://www.factcheck.org/2009/04/snopescom/

 

The issue about Snopes is its general lack of credibility. Are you suggesting that Snopes is a credible source of information?

[Will L]

The fish is absolutely as stated.  The varnish WAS swallowed.  It Was from Stradivari who accidentally dropped the bottle into the Po.  After all, everyone who is anyone in Cremona has known of this event, which until now remained in the realm of legend.

 

The important part of the story is that the fish—at that time just a mere slip of a lad—scavenged—as catfish do—the bottle from the bottom of the river and it took 300 years for his stomach acid to eat through the bottle.  The contents then caused inebriation leading the fish to lose his sense of self preservation and finally get caught.  The important evidence from this most newsworthy event is that Stradivari used alcohol varnish.

[Dwight Brown]

You know there is fish scale dating.......really.  That fish looks kind of tradey anyway.

[Royce J.]

The issue about Snopes is its general lack of credibility. Are you suggesting that Snopes is a credible source of information?

Are you suggesting Accuracy in Politics is? 

[Violadamore]

While the catfish is obviously a hoax, Snopes isn't infallible.  A classic example is this incident on the Tonight Show.   I just happened to be watching the show the night it occurred, and the news was full of it the next morning, saying that Zsa Zsa was suing Carson in an L.A. court over it.  Then it just sort of disappeared.  Gabor and Carson later denied it ever occurred, but it certainly did and I watched it on television.  So much for Snopes.  

[Bill Yacey]

All the historical static set aside, What kind of frying pan would you use to cook such a fish? It's good to change up the red meat road-kill diet every now and then.

[Kev Chanot]

Some people have suggested that this fish was reared by J.B. Vuillaume...

[CarloBartolini]

This is typical MN - a bottle of Strad's varnish is found and everyone is discussing the fish or some website....  

 

Any words on the actual varnish?

[Piergiuseppe]

While the catfish is obviously a hoax, 

 

 

I was there. They opened the jar, and a smell of 'grappa barricata'  we sniffed.

[romberg flat]

Any words on the actual varnish?

Oh yes! The varnish...

 

 

...look at this beautiful color!

[Dwight Brown]

Dendro boys eat you heart out.  Time for some fish dating :-) http://www.dnrec.delaware.gov/fw/Fisheries/Documents/agegrowth.pdf

 

 

Here in Texas we feel that if can't be deep fried or Bar-B-Qued it just ain't real food.  I keep having trouble with my grilled beans.....they fall through the slots on the grate!

[Mark Neukirchen]

Are you suggesting Accuracy in Politics is? 

 

No, not at all – I don’t have a horse in that race. I do, however, have a horse in the Snopes derby. Many good and well intentioned people quote Snopes as a source of discussion-ending factual information and don’t realize that the site is operated by a husband and wife performing internet searches on their computer – making personal determinations as to what they believe to be true or false. Snopes may be right or it may be wrong, as it’s simply an opinion made by a married couple.