Baron Johann Knoop

Baron Johann Knoop (22 July 1846 in Moscow – 1882 (or 1918) in 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:

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.