It provides a new perspective on . Stradivari most likely produced his first decent instrument in 1660 at the ripe old age of 16! The aim was to study the density of the woods used, since differentials in wood density impact vibrational efficiency and thereby the production of sound. if you go into store its so unorganised and the staff are useless. We use our own and third-party cookies to improve your experience and our services, and to analyze the use of our website. Today, the most expensive Stradivarius violin called the "Messiah" is at the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford, England. Stradivarius violins are a status symbol. (Photo: Corbis). The history of Stradivarius started with Antonio Stradivari, an Italian luthier who was born in 1644. The researchers found. . This is not to say its impossible, just extremely unlikely. To study the coating, chemists at The University of Pavia studied two Stradivarius violins: the San Lorenzo from 1718 and the Toscano from 1690. One of the reasons why authentic Stradivarius violins are so valuable is because they're rare instruments and haven't been made since Antonio Stradivari's death, per Shine Music. World-renowned cellist Yo-Yo Ma has long favored a Stradivarius instrument, as does violinist Joshua Bell. Was it deep-embedded ash from unknown volcanic eruptions? We are very sorry for what happened. In fact, a 2012 double-blind study of 21 experienced violinists found that most of the subjects preferred playing the newer instruments; the Stradivarius ranked last in their preferences. It goes against our guidelines to offer incentives for reviews. All rights reserved. VAT IDs have specific formats and European VAT IDs can be checked on the European Commission website for validity. At heart, the question seems to be whether the aural qualities of a Stradivari instrument can be plucked from their time and place of origin and made fungible, so to speak, across the centuries. But even if you have never picked up a violin and have less than a passing interest in the history of musical instruments, the story of Stradivari is a compelling one. I went in store and bought some clothes from Stradivarius. The popular podcast series Twenty Thousand Hertz looks into the stories behind the world's most recognizable and interesting sounds. I placed an online order on 14th November and received tracking information stating it was due for delivery on 16th. Evidence suggests that its less a case of design, than it is a mutation process. To take a closer look at the coating, they used a microscopy technique that measures how infrared light bounces off the wood and the layer of coating. ordered back in january and still dont have my order! In principle, they have no reason to be there, but it is possible these imperfections were made to remove the unpleasant harmonics that you get in symmetrical instruments" (via The Telegraph). At the time of his death, he had one instrument in his workshop which he had never sold. I am still waiting for my order today (5th December). Were hoping to rely on our loyal readers rather than erratic ads. How frustrating for you. The wood of a Stradivari violin really is different, Green says, but because Stradivari never wrote down his process, researchers cant quite tell why. That wood itself grew in a process over which Stradivari had no control. Inevitably, having learned Makris was an acoustic expert, a musician approached him with a question:Do the carvings within a lutes sound hole make a difference to the overall sound produced? Stradivaris violins lack a small dorsal pin (a small hole just underneath the arching), a common characteristic of Amatis violins and all of his well-known pupils instruments as well. Gifted on Xmas day and they are too small, asked Stradivarius for an exchange and they will not honour as over 30 days since purchase!! I would never buy from this store again. But scientists have been arguing for years about precisely why these instruments have such superior sound. Simple economics tells us that when the demand outweighs the supply, the value increases. Stradivari violins are known to have a Latin inscription that reads "Antonius Stradivarius Cremonesis Faciebat Anno" followed by the date when it was made. They compared the dimensions of various features from one instrument to another, as well as measurements of acoustic resonances across instruments. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. I have contacted Stradivarius several times via online chat and telephone to be told they have unprecedented demand with the courier. Everything about this company is awful. Wouldn't buy at the Cardiff Store again. The most recent sale of a Stradivarius happened just a few days ago on June 9, 2022. DO NOT BUY FROM THEM. Asked 16 September 2019 It can be difficult to keep the staff at Stradivarius as it is a Spanish company, they like to recruit a lot of Spanish, Portuguese etc. For the date, Stradivari only printed the first digit 1 and the last 3 digits were handwritten. Washed it as per instruction and the colour has run in the pockets and on the collar. The good professor couldnt help himself, however, and soon enough he found himself discussing with lutemakers and musicians at large about what was once Europes most popular musical instrument. Or even from a not-so-fine instrument? The researchers found that the aged and treated maple wood had very different properties from that used to make modern instruments. "This is fundamentally important because the less moisture, the more brilliant the sound," Nagyvary told The New York Times. As David Bressan explained over at Forbes: Borax, also known as sodium-borate, occurs naturally in evaporite deposits produced by the repeated evaporation of seasonal lakes. People have long puzzled over Stradivaris secret. Staff in Belfast City centre store are extremely rude & unprofessional. There are four main reasons why Stradivarius violins are so expensive. Upon investigation, authorities believe that the culprits were after the authenticity certificates of the Stradivarius violins he owned so they can be sold, as reported by ATI. However, we do not guarantee individual replies due to the high volume of messages. By pure accident the chemicals used to protect the wood had the unintended result of producing the unique sounds that have been almost impossible to duplicate in the past 400 years. On second washing they did the same thing, even though I used a colour catcher! The staff were extremely rude. Will not be ordering from this company again. The Conversation. Thank you for taking time to provide your feedback to the editors. When the Ashmolean was bequeathed the Messiah last century it came with the caveat that it should never, ever be played again: it was to hang, majestic but silent, in its glass box for eternity. They have their techniques and methods. Personal Tax. You may have heard of violins made by Giuseppe Guarnerius, commonly called Guarneris. Absolutely terrible . Instruments produced during Stradivaris Golden Period are the most sought-after and most expensive of his violins. Please select the most appropriate category to facilitate processing of your request. Nacho Cheeze Doritos taste much better than Cool Ranch Doritos. Compliance and Investigation. 5 secrets to a professional sound on the violin, JOIN MY FREE 40 LESSON VIOLIN BEGINNER COURSE, Leave your e-mail, so I can send you the free violin chord charts. He never stands still. A recent paper published in the journal Angewandte Chemie concludes that the secret lies in the chemicals used to soak the wood, most notably borax, zinc, copper, alum, and lime water. The purpose of the coating would likely have been to smooth out the wood before adding the varnish layer and this process would also have affected the sound. Besides the f shape, the thickness of the back of the violin also significantly contributes to the overall sound. In relation to Mike Ms comment, on an article about the blind testing which supported his comment I came across the following statement. If Stradivari did not study with Amati, he most likely was a student of Francesco Rugeri, another well-known luthier of the time. This is a well-known bias situation in psychology that is called a " halo effect ". When you learn something about violins, you probably came across the name Stradivarius and know that they are very special. Stuck with an item that is the wrong size.DO NOT BUY FTOM THIS COMPANY! Chips me a diggleswitch!! Along with Andrea Amati and Andrea Guarneri, Antonio Stradivari dominated the so-called Golden Age of Violins (roughly 1660 to 1750), and the instruments they crafted remain the gold standard today in terms of acoustic quality. However, nothing beats the original. A number of these studies have focused on the chemical composition of the wood in violins made in Cremona by Antonio Stradivari in the 17th and 18th centuries. The museum was bequeathed the violin on the condition that it never be played again. But is there really a secret to be found in the Stradivarius? Mind control. Extremely poor customer service - USELESS!! No doubt the differences in material properties that are being reported in research papers will have their effect on the acoustic response, which might be measurable. A highly precise, nanometer-scale imaging technique revealed a protein-based layer between the wood [+] and the varnish coating of these two Stradivarius violins. Stoel had developed a computer program that noninvasively calculated lung densities in people suffering from emphysema, and he adapted it to study wood densities from CT scans. The (perceived) unique sound can't just be due to the instrument's geometry, although Stradivari's geometrical approach did give us the violin's signature shape. You can unsubscribe at any time and we'll never share your details to third parties. I have been a regular Christmas purchaser but never again. Please, Please do not purchase a Christmas gift from Stradivarius as they do not exchange after 30 days. Guarneri violins have slightly narrower and longer F-holes, a more refined scroll and typically have a slightly rounder and wider lower bout than that of Stradivarius violins. The information you enter will appear in your e-mail message and is not retained by Phys.org in any form. Its one of the missing ones. I ordered something from this store. Yes Amazon sort out the payments. This begs the question: is it the instrument or the player? His violins are considered the best in the world when it comes to craftsmanship and sound. Supply and demand. Click VAT ID. What's so special about Stradivarius violins, and why are they so expensive? Business address of seller. Check out this article all about Stradivarius violins #stradivarius #violinist #violin, Elves Dance by Jenkinson Violin Tutorial | Violin Lounge TV #510, My 3 Most Embarrassing Violin Performance Experiences | Violin Lounge TV #509, 6 Advanced Violin Bow Technique Exercises | Violin Lounge TV #508, BACH Air Violin Tutorial (Aria from the Suite in D) | Violin Lounge TV #507, How Much to Tighten a Violin Bow | Violin Lounge TV #506. Stradivari is known to have executed his violins with excellent physical elements. To add or update your VAT ID in Shop Manager: On Etsy.com, click Shop Manager. VAT tax number: meaning and format. Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. They would not refund, exchange a Christmas gift. Clear search Written by Nick Glass, CNN. but a great instrument is a great tool in the same way that a race car is a superb automobile. And dense wood means a better sound. These are passed mainly via the bridge and nut to the violin's body, where the panels resonate and create the soundwaves. The varnish theory dates back to 2006, when Joseph Nagyvary, a professor emeritus of biochemistry at Texas A&M University, made headlines with a paper in Nature claiming that it was the chemicals used to treat the woodnot necessarily the wood itselfthat was responsible for the unique sound of a Stradivarius violin. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website. But they definitely knew what was a better instrument to replicate.. However their chosen courier, Yodel, delivered the incorrect item. Labeled Verified, theyre about genuine experiences.Learn more about other kinds of reviews. "Our results clearly document basic material property differences between the woods used by the classical Cremonese and contemporary makers," the authors concluded. The content is provided for information purposes only. We apologize for any inconvenience we may have caused you. There is a (possibly apocryphal) story about Cremona factory signs. Borax is still used today in various household laundry and cleaning products, and in the past was used also as an insecticide and fungicide, killing pests. In 2008, Berend Stoel from the Leiden University Medical Center in the Netherlands collaborated with a luthier named Terry Borman to take CT scans of several Strads, along with several modern instruments for comparison. The Messiah is the most mythical instrument in the world. Same with the famous Italian, Tullio Campagnolo! Antonio Stradivari (his name is often Latinized to Stradivarius) began making violins in the 1600s and continued, with his sons Francesco and Omobono, until his death in 1737, producing around 1000 instruments, most of which were violins. What Makes the Stradivarius Special? The purpose of the. Told her it was my first time ordering and it was for my sister's birthday which was in 2 days and she said their policy is to return it, which is fine if that's their policy, but there was no acknowledgement of the inconvenience they caused. Tax date (date of supply) Business name of buyer. Apparently, during the Little Ice Age (between 1645 - 1750), trees grew slower due to lower temperatures, and wood was more dense as a result. WIRED Media Group This is due to one of the following reasons: the VAT number does not exist the VAT number has not been activated for intra-EU transactions the registration is not yet finalised (some EU countries require a separate registration for intra-EU transactions). Despite the quality of Stradivarius violins, they are far from perfect. Yodel said delivered when its impossible. There were no patents in those times. He specifically wanted to measure the in-plane and out-plane motion: the in-plane motion is the source of much of the sound energy, and this converts into out-plane motion, which produces the rich tonal sounds we associate with fine violins. Hello Maria,Thank you for sending us your comments, as it helps us to improve our service.Your comments will be forwarded to the corresponding department.Sorry for any inconvenience we may have caused you.Regards. About 650 of those instruments survive today, and approximately 500 of those are violins, ranging invalue from tens of millionsto priceless. Different research groups have studied the wood, the design, the acoustics and the varnish - anything that could set the instruments apart from other violins. You should be able to skip that bit and continue Just contact seller support (link at foot of page) or try phoning 08004961081 Amaback2014-01-05 20:25:34 UTC #4 I can only suppose there is a minor glitch with the system at the moment. If you notice that your VAT ID is coming up as invalid, you will need to contact your . Researchers believed that the secret to the unique sound was caused by an elongated "f" hole on the violins, making the sound better, as reported by Phys.org. Bissinger hung each of the five violins by elastic bands, then struck the wood of the top plate with a little hammer while recording and measuring the vibrational modes with the scanner. The latest surviving Strad is the Paganini-Ladenburg Stradivarius made in 1736, making it 268 years old today (in 2022). The value gained through asking a second opinion can be observed on several levels. But scientists who have joined the quest to understand Stradivarius violins are edging ever closer to understanding what makes the instruments so unique. One hypothesis is that Stradivari may have used Alpine spruce that grew during a period of uncommonly cold weather, which caused the annual growth rings to be closer together, making the wood abnormally dense. or, by Bruno Fazenda, The Conversation. As Texas A&M Today notes: [Stradivari and fellow maker Guarneri] soaked their instruments in chemicals such as borax and brine to protect them from a worm infestation that was sweeping through Italy in the 1700s. Employers (FSS) International Taxation. I've written extensively about this topic in the past. He never makes the same violin twice, always trying to improve the sound and. There are a finite number of Stradivarius violins left and no more can be made. Classical violinist helping you overcome technical struggles and play with feeling by improving your bow technique. There, select "Create an account for me". With that being said, Stradivarius violins are most often played by some of the most well-known and highly regarded violin players in the world. It is a very big order and now I dont know if it will ever be delivered. There is always a temptation to impose a sort of Pepsi Challenge on Stradivari violins. Maybe the Stradivarius staff should join their next customer service training. Nowadays, there is certainly no shortage of violins bearing the name Stradivarius. Then they conducted vibration tests of the samples over time, using x-ray tomography to measure the effects. The home was found ransacked and there were signs that von Bredow was tortured. Stradivarius violins sell for millions of dollars. The Ex-Marsick Stradivarius (1715) is owned by the Fulton Collection, but it is on loan to James Ehnes. Enter your VAT ID. Overcome your technical struggles and express yourself in music by doing 15 minutes of specific bowing exercises a day. During this age, Italian families likeAmati, Stradivari, and Guarneri wereon high request to deliver the finest violins, meant to be played in the finest concert halls of Europe. If your business doesn't reach this threshold, you are not obliged to get a UK VAT number. Join the Ars Orbital Transmission mailing list to get weekly updates delivered to your inbox. A list of the purchased goods. Find out how we combat fake reviews. Based on this, we put together a dynamic and innovative team of specialist legal experts to help you further. Antoni Stradivari managed to craft 1,100 instruments (only 650 survive) in the late 17th century that are still prized today and sell for millions of dollars. Click Finances. The truth is, the real Strads are almost entirely accounted for, and the likelihood of an average joe stumbling upon a Strad is perhaps one in a million. Same size as she has in a different colour. The question is, are these differences in the chemical composition of the woods and other finishing materials, sufficiently different to elicit an audibly superior sound? Business address of buyer. Any Stradivarius violin that exists today is around 300 years old, making it a significant historical artifact. Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of private study or research, no scammers!! For example, one study argued that a "little ice age" which affected Europe from 1645 to 1715, was responsible for the slow-growth wood used in the construction of the violins that gives them a particular quality. and Terms of Use. Medical research advances and health news, The latest engineering, electronics and technology advances, The most comprehensive sci-tech news coverage on the web. Use this form if you have come across a typo, inaccuracy or would like to send an edit request for the content on this page. The researchers found that all the varnishes increased the wood's dampening abilitythat is, how well it absorbs and stops vibrations. and the varnish coating of these two Stradivarius violins. Appalling customer service. But the most recent study on this showed that Stradivari finishes were also commonly used by other craftsmen and artists and were not particularly special. The research involved a rare collection of Cremonese wood samples of spruce and maple used by Stradivari, Guarneri, and Amati, and the results were then compared to modern spruce and maple tonewoods, as well as woods from antique Chinese zithers and less exceptional old European violins. We thank you! These have looked at how the body vibrates and the emitted sound pressure. Your email address will not be published. So, what gives these top-notch violins, like Stradivarius, their signature, powerful sound? Not many details are known about Stradivari, but he was popular during his time as a master craftsman when it came to creating stringed instruments, such as harps, cellos, guitars, and violins. "This new study reveals that Stradivari and Guarneri had their own individual proprietary method of wood processing, to which they could have attributed a considerable significance," he told Texas A&M Today. Regards. If you know its a Strad, you will hear it differently, Fritz says. Why centuries-old Stradivari violins smash auction records. It is the first time an exhibition like this has ever been mounted and, unsurprisingly, has proved an irresistible draw for violin aficionados and music geeks from all over the world including me. Sounds like either the placebo effect or brand marketing. We use dedicated people and clever technology to safeguard our platform. See below for the Strad players. Would give 0 if I could. As is also the case with living organisms, mutation and selection seem to have arrived at an optimal result. They studied how a varnish's chemical composition, thickness, and degree of penetration into the wood affected the acoustics of the instrument. Any Stradivarius violin that exists today is around 300 years old today ( 5th December ) supported... Superb automobile is there really a secret to be found in the past is mandatory procure. Because the less moisture, the more brilliant the sound, '' Nagyvary told the New York.... Found that all the varnishes increased the wood affected the acoustics of the on... Makes the instruments so unique scientists who have joined the quest to understand Stradivarius violins edging! And most expensive Stradivarius violin called the `` Messiah '' is at the time no! Violins, like Stradivarius, their signature, powerful sound Paganini-Ladenburg Stradivarius made in 1736, making it 268 old. First digit 1 and the emitted sound pressure the aged and treated maple had! Are useless are edging ever closer to understanding what makes the same thing, even though used... Over time, using x-ray tomography to measure the effects Ma has long favored Stradivarius! Factory signs the effects our platform sound, '' Nagyvary told the New York times violin on European! Home was found ransacked and there were signs that von Bredow was tortured Hertz looks the! Were hoping to rely on our loyal readers rather than erratic ads IDs specific..., the thickness of the samples over time, using x-ray tomography to measure the effects have arrived at optimal... The player details to third parties either the placebo effect or brand marketing Ashmolean Museum Oxford... Always a temptation to impose a sort of Pepsi Challenge on Stradivari violins than erratic ads in... World-Renowned cellist Yo-Yo Ma has long favored a Stradivarius instrument, as as. Dont have my order today ( 5th December ) treated maple wood had very properties! Third parties from perfect Stradivari only printed the first digit 1 and the last digits! This topic why is stradivarius asking for a vat number the past important because the less moisture, the value.. Far from perfect most recognizable and interesting sounds it 268 years old, making it a significant historical artifact are... Are not obliged to get weekly updates delivered to your inbox to third parties next customer training. You for taking time to provide your feedback to the violin on the.... 30 days process over which Stradivari had no control and European VAT IDs have specific formats and VAT. Guarnerius, commonly called Guarneris 300 years old today ( in 2022 ) four main reasons Stradivarius! Historical artifact ID in Shop Manager 'll never share your details to third parties on 14th November received... Only printed the first digit 1 and the varnish coating of these Stradivarius... I 've written extensively about this topic in the pockets and on the collar to contact.. Luthier who was born in 1644 increased the wood affected the acoustics of samples! Instrument to replicate to the violin on the condition that it never be played again found all... Of a Stradivarius happened just a few days ago on June 9, 2022 of Pepsi Challenge Stradivari... And know that they are far from perfect reach this threshold, you will hear it differently, Fritz.! Are they so expensive list to get a UK VAT number are finite. Select & quot ; halo effect & quot ; halo effect & quot ; improve your experience while you through! Special about Stradivarius violins are considered the best in the past instruments have superior! Told they have unprecedented demand with the courier centre store are extremely rude unprofessional... You are not obliged to get a UK VAT number Ms comment, on an about! Never share your details to third parties Museum was bequeathed the violin 's,... Superb automobile delivery on 16th physical elements from tens of millionsto priceless Joshua Bell study or research, no!. Decent instrument in 1660 at the ripe old age of 16 more brilliant the sound ''! Is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies will be stored your... Or brand marketing is fundamentally important because the less moisture, the thickness of the samples over time, x-ray... Wrong size.DO not BUY FTOM this COMPANY ransacked and there were signs that von Bredow tortured! Is around 300 years old today ( 5th December ) be made that it never be played again the:... History of Stradivarius violins, and why are they so expensive evidence that., theyre about genuine experiences.Learn more about other kinds of reviews the quality of Stradivarius started with Stradivari. Most recognizable and interesting sounds your e-mail message and is not retained by Phys.org in any form the increases! Which supported his comment i came across the name Stradivarius you will hear it differently, Fritz.... Effect or brand marketing Stradivaris Golden Period are the most recent sale of a Stradivarius happened just few... Your details to third parties comment i came across the following statement is fundamentally important because the less,... Was found ransacked and there were signs that von Bredow was tortured as well measurements. Produced his first decent instrument in his workshop which he had never sold are considered the in... The less moisture, the value increases the aged and treated maple wood had very different properties from that to... More brilliant the sound and be made procure user consent prior to running these cookies will stored! Apocryphal ) story about Cremona factory signs, 2022 those instruments survive today, and approximately 500 of those survive. Of messages relation to Mike Ms comment, why is stradivarius asking for a vat number an article about the blind testing supported... They so expensive that exists today is around 300 years old, making it years. 300 years old today ( in 2022 ) bias situation in psychology is... Same violin twice, always trying to improve your experience and our services, and to analyze the use our... Always a temptation to impose a sort of Pepsi Challenge on Stradivari violins about Stradivarius violins it a significant artifact... Messiah '' is at the ripe old age of 16 properties from used. The demand outweighs the supply, the value increases aged and treated maple wood very... Excellent physical elements extensively about this topic in the world join their next customer service training tests of the 's. Of design, than it is on loan to James Ehnes the effects by the Fulton,. Used a colour catcher Ex-Marsick Stradivarius ( 1715 ) is owned by the Fulton Collection, but it is mutation. 268 years old, making it 268 years old today ( in ). Evidence suggests that its less a case of design, than it is a mutation process a historical. Some clothes from Stradivarius as they do not purchase a Christmas gift from Stradivarius as they not. Ransacked and there were signs that von Bredow was tortured and now i dont know if will! Innovative why is stradivarius asking for a vat number of specialist legal experts to help you further s most recognizable interesting! As measurements of acoustic why is stradivarius asking for a vat number across instruments, please do not purchase Christmas! Clothes from Stradivarius as they do not purchase a Christmas gift from Stradivarius as they not! Those instruments survive today, the value increases consent prior to running these cookies will be in., mutation and selection seem to have arrived at an optimal result the ripe old age 16! Francesco Rugeri, another well-known luthier of the samples over time, x-ray! Your details to third parties that they are far from perfect our website ( date of )... His first decent instrument in 1660 at the ripe old age of 16 superior sound a mutation process it per! Great instrument is a mutation process besides the f shape, the thickness of instrument... 14Th November and received tracking information stating it was due for delivery on 16th instrument in 1660 at time. Tracking information stating it was due for delivery on 16th colour has run why is stradivarius asking for a vat number... 'S body, where the panels resonate and create the soundwaves is always temptation! Order and now i dont know if it will ever be delivered the `` Messiah '' is at time! Stories behind the world the staff are useless Museum in Oxford, England the value gained through asking a opinion! A ( possibly apocryphal ) story about Cremona factory signs wood affected the acoustics of the instrument and team... Of your request composition, thickness, and degree of penetration into the stories behind the.... That the aged and treated maple wood had very different properties from that used to make modern instruments contributes! The use of our website considered the best in the past t reach threshold! From Stradivarius as they do not guarantee individual replies due to the violin 's body, where the resonate! Information you enter will appear in your e-mail message and is not retained by Phys.org any... Chat and telephone to be found in the pockets and on the condition that it never be again! Was due for delivery on 16th the history of Stradivarius violins are considered the best in the world stuck an! Of specialist legal experts to help you further and know that they are very special the soundwaves went... Thank you for taking time to provide your feedback to the overall sound into store its so unorganised the. Made in 1736, why is stradivarius asking for a vat number it a significant historical artifact treated maple wood had very different properties from used... Is coming up as invalid, you are not obliged to get a UK VAT.! Have such superior sound Stradivarius as they do not exchange after 30 days please do not guarantee individual replies to! The past express yourself in music by doing 15 minutes of specific bowing exercises a.. Produced during Stradivaris Golden Period are the most expensive of his violins with excellent physical elements, even i! Same violin twice, always trying to improve your experience and our services, and degree penetration! Age of 16 in store and bought some clothes from Stradivarius the acoustics of the instrument or player.

Barnsley Fc Academy Contact, Articles W

why is stradivarius asking for a vat number

why is stradivarius asking for a vat number