This book is a detailed critical inspection of a collection of objects that have their feet in two
worlds, namely Mozart Historical Research and Art Historical Study. Leopold Mozart, the
father of one of the world’s most supreme composers, died in 1787. At the time of his death, his
apartment held precious treasures given to his brilliant son and daughter during their lengthy
European tour of 1763-1766. Furthermore, it is likely that memorabilia and portraits collected in
the 21 years following that tour were also in Leopold’s apartment. There is little historical record
about what his collection might have contained at the time of his death, or what happened to it.
In 2003, an American antiques collector, traveling in Italy, bought what he thought were some
interesting pieces from a woman merchant. Though he was unaware of what he had stumbled
into at that time, these pieces now appear to have been a portion of Leopold Mozart’s estate. The
collection’s owner engaged the author of this book to examine and comment on the approximately
40 pieces in the acquisition. The telling of the story of each of the collection’s pieces and how they
survived for more than two centuries is rich with Mozart history.