What does it take to look at a cello and know, really know, who made it, when, and how?

We sat down with Florian Leonhard MBE, one of the world's foremost authorities on historical stringed instruments, to talk about his forty years of looking, listening, and reading instruments that most people would simply call beautiful.

In this interview for OCTARR's 18th-century Cello Project, Florian talks about Nathan Waks' cello and the detective work behind its authentication. He also talks about wood, varnish, the forgotten alchemists of Cremona, and why a great instrument, above all else, needs to be played.

"It's like reading a book when you look at a violin. You see so many things written there."

Watch the full interview above.