ART OF

ITALIAN
VIOLIN

VOLUME I

MICHAEL NORBERG
 4

Guido Reni – Santa Cecilia (1606)

 Featuring

Amati Antoniazzi
Balestrieri Bellosio
Bergonzi Bertolotti
Bussetto Calcagni
Camilli Capicchioni
Cappa Carcassi
Castello Celoniato
Ceruti Dalla Costa
Dall'Aglio Degani
Eberle Emiliani
Fagnola Fiorini
Gabbrielli Gagliano
INTRO
Ever since I listened to the glorious sound of an Italian violin,
when my father was practicing at night during my childhood, I
was obsessed with the idea to study the violin and own such an
instrument one day. My dream should come true to inherit his
Carlo Tononi violin after my decision to become a violinist, and
until today it is my daily instrument to play on. During the time
of my education at university and professional orchestra career, I
was lucky to see, hear and play many Italian violins, which finally
resulted in the decision to write ‘Art of the Italian violin’. This
book series of three volumes is meant to be a declaration of love
for the art and wonderful craft of Italian violin making and the
beautiful country of Italy, which I was happy to visit many times.
Being aware of the impossible task to write a ‘complete’ book
about this subject, the Art of the Italian violin is my personal
attempt to one of the most comprehensive collection with more
than 460 Italian stringed instruments, including violins, violas,
cellos and some double basses. Introductions to each maker and
more than 1000 high resolution photographs in three volumes
highlight the lives and works of nearly hundred different Italian
makers spanning more than 400 years, and link them with their
predecessors, contemporaries and followers.
I’m extremely grateful that many musicians, collectors, as well as
Tarisio with their great advice and support, contributed to this
project. All photographs have been used by trustful and reliable
sources only, to guarantee the authenticity of each instrument.
Whether you are a musician, a lover of Italian string instruments,
or looking for an inspiring guide for purchasing your next Italian
violin, my book Art of the Italian violin can be of great assistance
and a nice addition to your library.

Love and Viva Italia,

Michael Norberg
CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION………………….…4
Amati, Andrea………………………..8
Violin, Cremona, 1566…………………………..9
Viola, Cremona, 1570…………………………..11
Amati, A. & G. ………………………..13
Violin, Cremona, 1584………………………...14
Violin, Cremona, 1596……………………....…16
Violin, Cremona, 1611…………………………...18
Violin, Cremona, 1621…………………………..21
Violin, Cremona, c. 1624………………….…23
Viola, Cremona, c. 1625………………….….25
Amati, Nicolo………………………..28
Violin, Cremona, c. 1635…………………….29
Violin, Cremona, c. 1640…………………....31
Violin, Cremona, 1645………………………...33
Violin, Cremona, c. 1645…………………....36
Violin ‘Brookings’,
Cremona, 1654………………………...39
Violin, Cremona, 1665………………………....41
Viola, Cremona, 1677………………………....43
Violin, Cremona, c. 1680…………………....45
Violin, Cremona, 1680………………………..48
Amati II, Girolamo………………50
Cello Ex-Bonjour,
Cremona, 1690………………………....51
Violin, Cremona, 1693……………………......54
Violin, Cremona, 1693………………………...56
Violin Ex-Corbett,
Cremona, 1700…………….………..…58
Antoniazzi, Gregorio…………....61
Violin, Colle, 1738………………………………..….62
Balestrieri, Tommaso………….65
Violin, Mantua, c. 1760…………………………66
Violin, Mantua, c. 1760………………………...69
Violin, Mantua, 1765……………………………...71
Violin, Mantua, 1767……………………………...74
Violin, Mantua, c. 1770…………………………76
Viola, Mantua, 1775……………………………...79
Cello, Mantua, 1779……………………………...81
Bellosio, Anselmo………………..84
Viola, Venice, c. 1780……………….…………..85
Violin, Venice, 1785……………………………….88
Bergonzi, Carlo……………………..90
Violin Ex-Paganini,
Cremona, c. 1720……………………....91
Violin ‘Falmouth’,
Cremona, 1733………………………….94
Violin, Cremona, c. 1733-35………………..95
Violin, Cremona, 1735…………………………..98
Violin Ex-Segelman,
Cremona, 1736…………………………..101
Violin ‘Appleby’,
Cremona, 1742………………………...104
Bergonzi, M. A. ……………………106
Violin, Cremona, 1744…………….………....107
Violin, Cremona, c. 1750…………………….110
Bertolotti, Gasparo…………....112
Violin, Brescia, 1562…………………………….113
Viola, Brescia, c. 1570………………………..114
Bussetto, G. M. del………….....116
Violin, Cremona, 1675………………………...117
Violin Ex-Menuhin,
Cremona, c. 1680………………...….119
Calcagni, Bernardo…….….....122
Violin, Genoa, c. 1740……………………..….123
Cello, Genoa, c. 1740……………………......126
Violin, Genoa, 1741………………………….…..128
Violin, Genoa, 1743………………………...…..130
Camilli, Camillo……………….....132
Violin, Mantua, 1725……………………….....133
Violin, Mantua, 1730………………..……..….135
Violin, Mantua, 1739……………………….….137
Violin, Mantua, 1748……………………..…...139
Violin, Mantua, 1750………………………..…142
Violin, Mantua, c. 1750……………..……....144
Violin, Mantua, 1751………………………..….146
Capicchioni, Marino………...148
Violin, San Marino, 1939…………………..149
Cello, San Marino, 1955…………………....152
Violin, San Marino, 1961………………..…..155
Violin, San Marino, 1968……………….….158
Cappa, Gioffredo………………...161
Violin, Turin, 1690………………………………..162
Violin, Turin, c. 1690………………………..….164
Violin, Turin, 1700…………………………….....167
Violin, Turin, 1710……………………………..….170
Carcassi, L. & T. …………………...172
Violin, Florence, 1750……………………..….173
Violin, Florence, c. 1760………………..…..175
Cello, Florence, 1763…………………….......177
Viola, Florence, c. 1770………………..…...179
Violin, Florence, c. 1771……………………...181
Castello, Paolo……………………..183
Violin, Genoa, 1765………………………………184
Violin, Genoa, 1770…………………………..….186
Celoniato, G. F. ……………….…..188
Violin, Turin, 1722………………………………...189
Violin, Turin, 1731…………………………………..191
Violin, Turin, c. 1740………………………..…..194
Ceruti, G. B. …………………………..197
Violin, Cremona, 1795………………………...198
Violin, Cremona, 1805………………………..201
Violin, Cremona, 1813………………………...203
Ceruti, G. A. ………………………....205
Violin, Cremona, c. 1820……………….…..206
Violin, Cremona, 1832………………………..208
Violin, Cremona, 1855………………………...210
Ceruti, Enrico……………………....213
Violin, Cremona, 1860……………………….214
Violin, Cremona, 1865……………………….216
Dalla Costa, P. A. ………………..218
Violin, Treviso, 1733……………………….…....219
Violin, Treviso, c. 1735……………………......222
Violin, Treviso, c. 1760…………………….....225
Violin, Treviso, 1764……………………….…...227
Dall’Aglio, Giuseppe………….230
Violin, Mantua, c. 1820………………………..231
Viola, Mantua, 1820…………………………...234
Violin, Mantua, c. 1830……………………....237
Viola, Mantua, c. 1830……………………...240
Degani, Eugenio…………….....243
Violin, Venice, 1892………………………..…..244
Violin, Venice, 1895…………………………....246
Violin, Venice, 1898…………………………....249
Violin, Venice, 1899…………………………....252
Eberle, Tomaso………………....254
Violin Ex-Szeryng,
Naples, 1760…………………………....255
Violin, Naples, 1775………………………..…..257
Violin, Naples, 1777………………………......260
Viola, Naples, c. 1780…………….………...263
Emiliani, Francesco………....266
Violin, Rome, 1725………………………….....267
Violin, Rome, c. 1725………………………...269
Violin, Rome, 1733……………………………...271
Fagnola, Annibale…………....273
Violin, Turin, c. 1899……………………….....274
Violin, Turin, c. 1900………………………....277
Violin, Turin, 1925…………………………..….279
Violin, Turin, 1932……………………………...282
Fiorini, Giuseppe……….……..284
Violin, Munich, 1911…………………………...285
Violin, Munich, 1912…………………………..288
Violin, Zurich, 1919…………………………...291
Gabbrielli, G. B. ………………...294
Violin, Florence, 1745…………..…………...295
Violin, Florence, 1750…………………….....297
Cello, Florence, 1750…………………….....300
Violin, Florence, 1755…………………….....302
Viola, Florence, 1763…………………….….305
Violin, Florence, 1770……………………....308
Gagliano, Alessandro……….310
Violin Ex-Rostal,
Naples, 1709………………………….…..311
Cello, Naples, 1709………………………….….313
Viola, Naples, 1720………………………...…..316
Cello, Naples, 1724…………………………....318
Violin, Naples, c. 1725…………….…………..321
Gagliano, Gennaro…………….324
Violin, Naples, c. 1740………………………...325
Cello, Naples, 1741……………………………...327
Violin, Naples, 1743………………………….....330
Cello Ex-Barbirolli,
Naples, c. 1760………………………..333
Violin, Naples, 1760…………………………….335
Violin, Naples, 1760…………………………....337
Violin, Naples, 1763…………………………….340
Violin, Naples, c. 1770………………………..342
Gagliano, Nicolo…………….…..345
Violin, Naples, c. 1740………………………..346
Violin, Naples, 1757……………………………..349
Violin, Naples, 1758……………………………...351
Violin, Naples, 1760…………………………….354
Violin, Naples, c. 1770………………………...357
Violin, Naples, 1771………………………………359
Cello, Naples, 1774………………………….....362
Violin, Naples, 1780………………………..…..365
Gagliano, Ferdinando……...367
Violin, Naples, c. 1770………………………..368
Cello, Naples, c. 1780………………………..370
Violin Ex-Partello,
Naples, 1782……………………………..372
Violin, Naples, 1784…………………………….374
Gagliano, Giuseppe…………..376
Violin, Naples, 1775……………………………..377
Violin, Naples, 1784………………………..…..379
Violin, Naples, 1789……………………………..381
Violin, Naples, c. 1800………………………..383
Gagliano, G. & A. …………….….385
Violin, Naples, 1790…………………………….386
Violin, Naples, c. 1800………………………..388
Violin, Naples, 1805………………………..…..390
Andrea Amati
Cremona, 1505 - 1577

Andrea Amati is known as the founder of the Cremona

school of violin making and is responsible for creating the
definitive and modern form of the instrument. Probably
influenced by the early makers from Brescia like Pellegrino
Micheli and Gasparo da Salo, his earliest violin is thought to
be from 1546, although this instrument has been lost. His
earliest existing violin is dated from 1564.
His basic design was used and refined by many later
makers, especially Stradivari, but in essence remained
unchanged until today. Andrea made two sizes of violins,
of which the larger one became known as the 'Grand
Amati'. He also invented the typical amber-colored varnish.
As Andrea Amati was commissioned to deliver 38
decorated instruments to Charles IX from France in 1564
and Pope Pius V from about 1566 onwards, he became
famous during his lifetime for his skills and craftsmanship.
His collection included two sizes of violins, tenor violas and
large cellos, but many instruments have been destroyed
during the French Revolution. However, some pieces were
recovered by Giovanni Battista Viotti's student M.J.B.
Cartier and changed hands several times since then.
Andrea Amati's two sons, Antonio and Girolamo, inherited
the family business and took over the workshop after his
death in 1577, refining the violin models of their father.
They continued to establish the great Cremonese tradition
of violin making in the following years.
A. Amati
Violin
Cremona
1566
A. Amati
Violin
Cremona
1566
A. Amati
Viola
Cremona
1570
A. Amati
Viola
Cremona
1570
Antonio & Girolamo Amati
Cremona, c. 1577 - 1620

Antonio and Girolamo (or Hieronymous) Amati, also

known as Brothers Amati, trained and worked for their
father Andrea in his Cremonese workshop and continued
to make violins together after his death in 1577. They
improved the Amati model in every significant area, as
they refined the purfling of the violin, narrowed the sound
holes to enhance the acoustics and increased the edge
fluting for better tension of the top. They also developed a
smaller size from the viola, which became the new
standard, as Stradivari immediately implemented this idea
in his work.
Many different sizes of violins, violas and cellos have been
created by the two brothers in close relationship with
musicians, in order to perfect the tone quality of their
instruments. Their instruments quickly gained popularity
and have been copied widely in Italy, the Netherlands and
in England.
After a discordant split in 1588, which didn't seem to affect
their work together, Girolamo continued to produce
instruments under the Brothers Amati label, while Antonio
made his own instruments, of which just a few remain.
Even after Antonio's death in 1607, Girolamo continued to
use their shared label until 1630, when he became victim
to the plague.
A. & G. Amati
Violin
Cremona
1584
A. & G. Amati
Violin
Cremona
1596
A. & G. Amati
Violin
Cremona
1611
A. & G. Amati
Violin
Cremona
1621
A. & G. Amati
Violin
Cremona
c. 1624
G. Amati
Viola
Cremona
c. 1625
Nicolo Amati
Cremona, 1596 - 1684

Nicolo Amati was the son of Girolamo and grandson of

Andrea Amati and is considered today the finest craftsman
of this family of luthiers. As the plague and famine
devastated northern Italy in the years around 1630, killing
his father and his main rival Giovanni Paolo Maggini, Nicolo
was the only member of his family to survive and also one
of the only active remaining violin makers in Cremona,
unable to meet the growing demand for instruments by
himself. Consequently, he trained a series of apprentices
and single-handedly passed down the tradition of fine
Cremonese violin making to following generations. During
Nicolo's life, the Amati workshop was one of the finest
violin ateliers in Europe, recruiting many talented students,
who went on to careers as important instrument builders.
Among his apprentices are Andrea Guarneri and Giacomo
Gennaro, possibly also the young Antonio Stradivari,
Francesco Ruggieri, Giovanni Battista Rogeri and Jacob
Stainer. They all studied and developed elements of his
style and methods, which made Nicolo Amati one of the
most important figures in the tradition of violin making.
From 1630 on his violins became slightly larger than other
makers' instruments, a design which is called now the
'Grand Amati Pattern', with the length of the Back up to
35.6 cm and the width up to 20.9 cm, allowing a larger
sound. Well curved, long-cornered with strong purfling,
most of this great master violins show unsurpassed
attention to precision and detail.
N. Amati
Violin
Cremona
c. 1635
N. Amati
Violin
Cremona
c. 1640
N. Amati
Violin
Cremona
1645
N. Amati
Violin
Cremona
c. 1645
N. Amati
‘Brookings’
Violin
Cremona
1654
N. Amati
Violin
Cremona
1665
N. Amati
Viola
Cremona
1677
N. Amati
Violin
Cremona
c. 1680
N. Amati
Violin
Cremona
1680
Girolamo Amati II
Cremona, 1649 - 1740

Girolamo (or Hieronymus) Amati II was the oldest son of

Nicolo Amati and very likely his most underestimated
student. He learned from his father since an early age and
took over the family workshop after Nicolo's death in 1684.
Nicolo had great success in promoting the art of violin
making in Cremona and produced a new generation of
amazing luthiers, among them Francesco and Vincenzo
Rugeri, Andrea Guarneri and Antonio Stradivari. As a result
of the fast growing number of violin makers, the late 17th
century became a fiercely competitive environment.
Girolamo Amati II was a gifted maker, and while his violin
varnish was less impressive than his father's, tonally his
instruments stood up well to Nicolo's work. Unfortunately
for Girolamo, his workshop never achieved the success it
had enjoyed under his father, probably because of
competition from the Stradivari and Guarneri shops.
Possibly because of legal and financial problems, Girolamo
left Cremona for Piacenza in 1697, and it seems he gave up
violin making soon after his departure. Any instruments
dated after 1700 are extremely rare, and his death in 1740
marked the end of the great Amati dynasty of violin
makers.
G. Amati II
Ex – Bonjour Cello
Cremona
1690
G. Amati II
Violin
Cremona
1693
G. Amati II
Violin
Cremona
1693
G. Amati II
Ex – Corbett Violin
Cremona
c. 1700
Gregorio Antoniazzi
fl. Colle, c. 1730 - 1750

Gregorio Antoniazzi was a unique and remarkable maker,

who was stylistically influenced by the Bolognese or
Venetian school, although there is no evidence and little
known about his background. His name is not connected
to the later and the influential Antoniazzi family of
Cremona and Milan.
The violin from 1738 featured here was made in Colle in the
Veneto region and shows the maker's excellent choice of
wood, and fine craftsmanship. His scrolls are very
distinctive and show some similarities with the maker
Montagnana. Antoniazzi used a classically proportioned
form for his violins and a very fine, soft orange or darker red
varnish. His instruments are extremely rare and often
misattributed.
G. Antoniazzi
Violin
Colle
1738
Tommaso Balestrieri
Mantua, c. 1735 - c. 1790s

Balestrieri was one of the last masters of the Cremonese

violin-making tradition and one of the most important
post-Stradivarian luthiers. Not much is known about
Balestrieris training, but his work indicates strong
Cremonese influence, even though he registered as a
violin maker in Mantua as early as 1758. Other luthiers in
Mantua whose works were rooted in the Amati tradition,
were Pietro Giovanni Guarneri, Camillo Camilli and Antonio
Zanotti. Balestrieri's early works were delicate and in line
with the Amati style, but soon he started to implement
more muscular and robust features in his designs. He
developed a wider model with flat arching to produce a
more powerful tone, similar to Stradivari's designs.
The materials he used indicates an emphasis in
performance over appearance.
Balestrieri's violins may not be the most refined in terms of
craftsmanship, but rival the very best in performance and
sound quality and are highly sought-after by soloists.
His best work can be dated between 1750 -1780, with all
still remaining instruments made in Mantua.
T. Balestrieri
Violin
Mantua
c. 1760
T. Balestrieri
Violin
Mantua
c. 1760
T. Balestrieri
Violin
Mantua
1765
T. Balestrieri
Violin
Mantua
1767
T. Balestrieri
Violin
Mantua
c. 1770
T. Balestrieri
Viola
Mantua
1775
T. Balestrieri
Cello
Mantua
1779
Anselmo Bellosio
Cassine, 1743 - 1793

Bellosio was born into a family of organ makers and was

one of the last significant violin makers of the 18th century
Venetian school.
He moved to Venice in the early 1760s and took over the
workshop of Giorgio Serafin in 1779, after he studied under
the tuition of Giorgio's uncle Sanctus Serafin in the 1770s.
Bellosio was a very refined maker who sustained the
Venetian school of violin making, after the classical period
in Cremona already expired by 1750. His instruments are
rare and of very high quality, with full and tonally effective
arching and extremely fine orange-red varnish. Many of
Bellosio's violins have been probably for tax reasons labeled
much earlier than they actually have been produced.
His most notable student was Marco Antonio Cerin, whose
best work shows many similarities to his master, but wasn't
able to continue his success much beyond 1790. The
extended period of classical lutherie ended in Venice
before the end of the century.
Bellosio's violins have been played by several famous
violinists as Alina Ibragimova and Nigel Kennedy.
A. Bellosio
Viola
Venice
c. 1780
A. Bellosio
Violin
Venice
1785
Carlo Bergonzi
Cremona, 1683 - 1747

It was historically assumed, that Carlo Bergonzi was a

student of Giuseppe Guarneri 'filius Andreae' or Antonio
Stradivari, but it is now known he has learned his craft from
Vincenzo Ruggieri. Bergonzi and his family lived close to
the workshop of Ruggieri in Cremona and both families
enjoyed close social and financial connections. Even the
influence of Guarneri is evident in Bergonzi's work, the
similarity to Vincenzo Ruggieri's violins is obvious, as we
can see in the treatment of the scrolls and the working
technique of scarfing the linings into the corner blocks at
an angle instead of square.
Carlo's early violins follow similar outlines as Ruggieri 's
violins, for later instruments he developed his own.
In 1746 Bergonzi moved into the Casa Stradivari after the
master's death in 1737 and even completed some
unfinished instruments by Antonio Stradivari. His work
featured outstanding materials, exquisite varnish, and
great execution. Carlo Bergonzi was a great master in his
own right and was only overshadowed by his
contemporaries Stradivari and Guarneri 'del Gesu'. In 1740,
he created one of his best violins, the Kreisler Bergonzi,
named after violinist Fritz Kreisler. It was owned by Cuban
violinist Angel Reyes, who sold it later to Itzhak Perlman.
Both Kreisler and Perlman performed and recorded with it.
C. Bergonzi
Ex – Paganini
Violin
Cremona
c. 1720
C. Bergonzi
‘Falmouth’
Violin
Cremona
1733
C. Bergonzi
Violin
Cremona
c. 1733 - 35
C. Bergonzi
Violin
Cremona
1735
C. Bergonzi
Ex – Segelman
Violin
Cremona
1736
C. Bergonzi
‘Appleby’
Violin
Cremona
1742
Michele Angelo Bergonzi
Cremona, 1721 - 1758

He was the oldest son and student of Carlo Bergonzi and

his earliest work is from 1744, shortly before he moved with
his father into the Casa Stradivari. He remained there after
Carlo's death in 1747, representing at this time all of the
Cremonese violin making traditions, as the greatest
geniuses with Antonio Stradivari in 1737 and Guarneri 'del
Gesu' in 1744 passed away, with their families fading from
the scene in the 1740s.
However, Michele Angelo was faced with increasing
competition from growing numbers of luthiers throughout
Europe, which made him compromise his workmanship
and technique. His work is an interesting reflection of the
period and shows a lot of influence from Stradivari and del
Gesu regarding their spontaneity and freedom of
execution. Michele Angelo became only 37 years old when
he died in 1758, which is explaining his rather small output.
While some of his work can be ranked very highly among
the best makers from Cremona, his instruments are too
inconsistent in their quality and choice of materials,
illustrating the general poverty in the craft at the time.
Nevertheless, his instruments are highly valued for their
powerful tone.
M. Bergonzi
Violin
Cremona
1744
M. Bergonzi
Violin
Cremona
c. 1750
Gasparo Bertolotti 'da Salo'
Salo, 1540 - 1609
Better known as Gasparo da Salo, named after his
birthplace, was one of the earliest violin maker and is
considered the founder of the Brescia school. He was born
into a family of musicians in da Salo and was an expert
double bass player. After his father's death in 1562, da Salo
moved to Brescia to establish a successful instrument
making business, which lasted over 40 years. His workshop
quickly became one of the most important in Europe for
the production of every type of stringed instruments of the
time. While he strongly influenced the development of the
modern form of the violin, it is notable that the word
'violino' appeared in Brescian archival documents at least
as early as 1530 and not in Cremona until some fifty years
later. Although he was a contemporary of Andrea Amati
and the Brothers Amati, his methods and materials are
very different from those of the Amatis. Da Salos violin
patterns were later between 1690 and 1700 studied by
Stradivari for the violin type known as the 'Long Strad',
which became one of the masters most distinguished and
desirable models. Around eighty of Gasparo's instruments
are known to have survived to the present day: small and
large violins, alto and tenor violas, viols, violones, double
basses and ceteras.
Almost all of the authenticated surviving examples by Da
Salo, his workshop or his pupils, are noted for their beauty
of tone and powerful projection.
Gasparo employed various assistants, including Giovanni
Paolo Maggini and his own son, Francesco.
The auction record for an instrument of Gasparo da Salo is
$542,500 USD in April 2010, for a viola.
G. ‘da Salo’
Violin
Brescia
1562
G. ‘da Salo’
Viola
Brescia
c. 1570
Giovanni Maria del Bussetto
Cremona, 1640 - 1681

Bussetto was an interesting maker, who was active in

Cremona from about 1660-1680.
Stylistically situated between the Cremonese school and
later Brescian school, his instruments are recognizable by
their distinctive f-holes and rather square outline. His
violins are extremely rare and vary in quality, but his best
work is comparable to that of many of his great
contemporaries. His violins have been sometimes
attributed to other Cremonese makers.
Bussetto is best known for a fine violin, which belonged to
violinist Yehudi Menuhin.
G. M. del Bussetto
Violin
Cremona
1675
G. M. del Bussetto
Ex – Menuhin
Violin
Cremona
c. 1680
Bernardo Calcagni
Genoa, c. 1680 - 1756

Calgagni is considered to be the finest Genoese maker of

the 18th century. He started to work as a musician and
valet for wealthy families before he begun his career in
violin making in the early 1730s, when he was already over
40 years old. Sharing a house and attached workshop with
the German maker Andreas Statler, his work is stylistically
similar to that of Statler and also to Jacobo Filippo
Cordano, who was another contemporary luthier in Genua.
Calcagno's son married Cordano's daughter, which
deepened the relation between the violin makers.
However both Cordano and Statler died in 1732, leaving the
violin market to Calcagno, who was experienced enough to
satisfy his customers. In general the output of his work was
not as refined as the one of his Cremonese contemporaries
and less bold than Venetian instruments from that time.
This can be partly attributed to trade routes and the
resulting availability of materials. Especially high quality
wood arriving from the Balkans would reach Italy's Ligurian
coast only after being heavily delivered to Venetian
makers. It is not known whether Calcagni trained any
students, but in his final years before his death in 1756, he
was probably assisted by his neighbor Angelo Molia, whose
instruments showed many similarities to those of Calcagni.
B. Calcagni
Violin
Genoa
c. 1740
B. Calcagni
Cello
Genoa
c. 1740
B. Calcagni
Violin
Genoa
1741
B. Calcagni
Violin
Genoa
1743
Camillo Camilli
Mantua, 1703 - 1754

An excellent maker, whose inspiration was the work of his

Mantuan predecessor Pietro Guarneri, who had an
enormous impact on violin making in Mantua since his
arrival from Cremona in the 1680s.
As Camilli was still very young when Guarneri died in 1720,
it is more likely that he was a student of Antonio Zanotti.
The instruments of Camilli, most of which he made in
Mantua, are highly valued by string musicians to this day.
Together with his contemporary Tommaso Balestrieri,
Camillo Camilli has the reputation to be one of the finest
18th century makers of the Mantua school. While
Balestrieri's violins are famous for their powerful sound,
Camilli deserves praise for his superior craftsmanship.
Guarneri's influence can be seen in his work, particularly in
the shape of the instrument, the purfling, and the way the
notches of the f-holes are cut.
His choice of materials and the beautiful golden-orange
varnish, combined with the high arching of Guarneri and
Amati-inspired scrolls, make his instruments very
appealing.
C. Camilli
Violin
Mantua
1725
C. Camilli
Violin
Mantua
1730
C. Camilli
Violin
Mantua
1739
C. Camilli
Violin
Mantua
1748
C. Camilli
Violin
Mantua
1750
C. Camilli
Violin
Mantua
c. 1750
C. Camilli
Violin
Mantua
1751
Marino Capicchioni
San Marino, 1895 - 1977

Born in the republic of San Marino, Capicchioni was a self-

taught maker, who took up violin making after working in
a French guitar factory for a year. In 1929 he permanently
settled down in Rimini, where he opened his own
workshop. Capicchioni's work can be divided in two
periods, the first from the 1920s - 1930s, and the second
‘golden period’ beginning in the 1940s, the era which
brought him fame. His work of the 1920s and 1930s is
distinguished by his continued research for technical and
stylistic solutions, and displays studied and impersonal
precision. In his golden period, which include violas and
cellos as well as violins, his instruments show personal
interpretations of classical models, especially of Guarneri
‘del Gesu’. Capicchioni always used excellent materials and
in order to accentuate the flame of the maple, he
developed a special technique for treating the instrument
'in the white'. When he varnished his instruments, he
attempted to age them slightly by accentuating the grain
of the spruce on the belly. The color of his varnish ranges
from yellow-orange to brown-red. Capicchioni’s
instruments are highly sought-after for their style and
superior sound, and have been played by famous violinists
like Accardo, Menuhin and Oistrakh.
M. Capicchioni
Violin
San Marino
1939
M. Capicchioni
Cello
San Marino
1955
M. Capicchioni
Violin
San Marino
1961
M. Capicchioni
Violin
San Marino
1968
Gioffredo Cappa
Saluzzo, 1644 - 1717

Gioffredo Cappa was an early maker of the Turin school,

strongly influenced by the style of Amati.
He was assumed to be a student of Nicolo Amati or Enrico
Catenari, although this was purely based on speculation
and could never be proven. Because of his strong reliance
on Amati models, which have been very famous in the late
17th century, he used for his best instruments also their
label.
Cappa's work shows elegance, strong character and some
evolution in style. In his early violins the ribs are set into the
back in the fashion popular with Dutch and Flemish
makers of the period. His later work shows more the
Cremonese influence, especially the soft brown or red
varnish, although his finishing is generally less refined than
the Amati violins.
G. Cappa
Violin
Turin
1690
G. Cappa
Violin
Turin
c. 1690
G. Cappa
Violin
Turin
1700
G. Cappa
Violin
Turin
1710
Lorenzo & Tomaso Carcassi
Florence, c. 1750 - 1780

Lorenzo and Tomaso Carcassi were brothers, who worked

during the second half of the 18th century in Florence and
shared a workshop. They were probably students of G.B.
Gabbrielli, who was the leading luthier in Florence in the
mid-18th century. Their work was heavily inspired by the
Austrian maker Jacob Stainer, whose influence was
widespread in Florence around that time, which was
possibly due to the prominence of the Austrian Habsburg
family in Tuscany.
While the two brothers produced also some instruments
independently, most of their work was bearing a joint label.
They successfully combined elements of the Stainer model
with typical and attractive Italian yellow-brown varnish.
L. & T.
Carcassi
Violin
Florence
1750
L. & T.
Carcassi
Violin
Florence
c. 1760
L. & T.
Carcassi
Cello
Florence
1763
L. & T.
Carcassi
Viola
Florence
c. 1770
L. & T.
Carcassi
Violin
Florence
c. 1771
Paolo Castello
Genoa, c. 1750 - 1780

As there are no records where Paolo Castello learned his

art from, it is likely that he was largely self-taught. A
follower of the founder and leading spirit of the Genoese
school Bernardo Calcagni, he was one of the three
important luthiers active in Genoa in the mid-18th century.
The others have been Jacobo Cordano and Giuseppe
Cavaleri. His craftsmanship is often described as somewhat
coarse and heavy-handed, with the wide purfling and
rough scrolls, but counterbalanced by elegant details, such
as the f-holes. Proving his talent by the frequent use of the
Stradivari model and nice varnish, the overall quality of his
output ranges widely. Despite some fine individual violins it
seems like he was satisfying a demand for rather
inexpensive instruments.
P. Castello
Violin
Genoa
1765
P. Castello
Violin
Genoa
1770
Giovanni Francesco Celoniato
Turin, 1676 - 1751

Giovanni Francesco Celoniato was an 18th century luthier

of the Piedmont school and thought to have studied with
Gioffredo Cappa, but the lack of similarity in their working
methods challenge that view.
Celoniato was born into a musical family in Turin and
worked as a musician in the savoy court. By 1702 he had
already his own workshop and made instruments, much
influenced by the Amatis. It seems that he also admired
Carlo Bergonzi, as reflected in the rather angular C- bouts
and slanting f-holes of his violins. Certain parts of the
structure also resemble those of Spirito Sorsana, as the
curves of the body are relatively flat and the varnish looks
golden-yellow.
Celoniato was the only active luthier left in Turin after the
eventual passing of Turin-based makers Cappa, Catenar
and Senta. His instruments are very rare, but show him as
one of the most outstanding luthiers of the Piedmont
school after Cappa passed away. Celoniato was perhaps
better known for his cellos than for his violins.
G. F. Celoniato
Violin
Turin
1722
G. F. Celoniato
Violin
Turin
1731
G. F. Celoniato
Violin
Turin
c. 1740
Giovanni Battista Ceruti
Sesto Cremonese, 1756 - 1817

Born ten months later than Mozart and a generation after

Stradivari and Guarneri, Giovanni Battista Ceruti moved
with his family to Cremona in 1786, but he did not take up
violin making until about age 40. It is likely that he had
contact with the Bergonzi brothers, Nicola and Carlo II,
who have been his colleagues in the textile trade, and were
probably the inspiration for his change of profession. G.B.
Ceruti was possibly self-taught and along with Giovanni
Rota a follower of Lorenzo Storioni. Thanks to those three
luthiers the tradition of violin making in Cremona made an
unlikely comeback. When Storioni left Cremona in 1802,
Ceruti took advantage of this situation and at some point
took over his workshop. He produced a significant number
of instruments, especially in the first decade of the 19th
century, which are of average quality materials, but surpass
Storioni's art in precision and craftsmanship. Along with
Storioni, Ceruti and his descendants are recognized for
their contribution in reviving the Cremonese tradition,
which they dominated over three generations. G.B. Ceruti
died in 1817, most likely from typhus.
G. B.
Ceruti
Violin
Cremona
1795
G. B. Ceruti
Violin
Cremona
1805
G. B. Ceruti
Violin
Cremona
1813
Giuseppe Antonio Ceruti
Sesto Cremonese, 1785 - 1860

The son and pupil of Giovanni Battista Ceruti and the

father of Enrico, he started to work in his father's workshop
around 1805. His instruments followed his father's style very
closely, but he was less productive. After his father's death
in 1817 he inherited his workshop and took up a more
modern approach, and only then started to sign his own
instruments. G.A. Ceruti also worked additionally as a
woodcarver and double bass player. Consequently, he
became less active during the late 1820s and moved with
his family to Mantua in 1838. After spending a few years in
nearby San Benedetto in the early 1850s, he returned to
Mantua in 1856, where he resumed his violin making,
possibly assisted by Gaetano Antoniazzi. Only a few
instruments labeled in Mantua survived and examples
from the 1830s-40s are very rare. In 1855 he sent two violins
to the Paris Exhibition, which received Honorable Mention.
G. A. Ceruti
Violin
Cremona
c. 1820
G. A. Ceruti
Violin
Cremona
1832
G. A. Ceruti
Violin
Cremona
1855
Enrico Ceruti
Cremona, 1806 - 1883

Born in Cremona into an established family of luthiers, he

is known as the last of the great line of violin makers in
Cremona. Son and student of Giuseppe Ceruti and
grandson to Giovanni Battista Ceruti, he was registered as
a violin maker already by 1830. However, only a few
instruments before 1840 survived and experts speculate,
that Enrico Ceruti was mainly working with his father
during the period of 1840s-1850s. It also would explain the
extreme rarity of instruments made by Giuseppe himself
dating from that time.
At a time when best European makers where imitating
Stradivari and Guarneri del Gesu, Enrico was more inspired
by the craftsmanship of the Bergonzi family. Developing a
slightly more classical style than his father with a lighter
orange-red varnish, he exhibited his instruments in many
European cities. Unfortunately, his work wasn't much
appreciated outside Italy. Enrico Ceruti was also an active
dealer of fine old instruments, dealing with Luigi Tarisio
and Jean-Baptiste Vuillaume among others.
E. Ceruti
Violin
Cremona
1860
E. Ceruti
Violin
Cremona
1865
Pietro Antonio Dalla Costa
Alba, c. 1697 - 1770

Pietro Antonio Dalla Costa is a significant violin maker of

the Venetian school, although he was born in Alba. He
spent most of his working life in Treviso, near Venice, but
probably also brief periods in Venice itself and Mantua. His
work is extremely rare, but the few instruments that
survived show him to have been a craftsman of superb
ability. Dalla Costa’s violins are delicate and finished with
soft and deeply pigmented varnish in the Venetian style.
His principal influence was the work of the Brothers Amati,
which he also mentioned on his labels, but his model is
more robust and with larger f-holes.
Dalla Costa is perhaps most famous for a violin, that was
owned and played by Mozart during his years living in
Vienna, and that is now exhibited at the Mozarteum in
Salzburg.
P. A. Dalla Costa
Violin
Treviso
1733
P. A. Dalla Costa
Violin
Treviso
c. 1735
P. A. Dalla Costa
Violin
Treviso
c. 1760
P. A. Dalla Costa
Violin
Treviso
1764
Giuseppe Dall'Aglio
Mantua, 1774 - 1855

Like most of the Mantuan makers of the 18th century,

Giuseppe Dall’Aglio was mainly inspired by the work of
founder Pietro Guarneri. Between the old Mantua school,
represented by Pietro Guarneri, Camillo Camilli, and
Tommaso Balestrieri, and the new Mantua school
represented by Stefano Scarampella, Dall’Aglio seems to
be the only notable maker in the early 19th century
working in Mantua. Back then Lombardy was going
through uncertain political and economic times, which
saw many talented makers being forced using simpler
materials and looking for more efficient working methods.
Dall’Aglio instruments share some of the characteristics of
19th century Italian violin making, including the use of
locally sourced oppio, or field maple, instead of the
expensive sycamore maple, which had to be imported
from the Balkan Peninsula. While his work is often rough,
his best examples show tonally and visually great
craftsmanship. The featured instruments showcase
Dall’Aglio’s individuality of style with its extreme f-holes
and typically deep-cut C-bouts, and the use of high quality
varnish.
G. Dall’Aglio
Violin
Mantua
c. 1820
G. Dall’Aglio
Viola
Mantua
1820
G. Dall’Aglio
Violin
Mantua
c. 1830
G. Dall’Aglio
Viola
Mantua
c. 1830
Eugenio Degani
Merlara, 1842 - 1901

Eugenio Degani is considered one of the great violin

makers of the 19th century and the founder of the modern
Venetian school. Born in Merlara next to Montagnana, he
received his first training from his father Domenico. In 1867
he opened his first workshop in Montagnana before
moving to Venice in 1888, where his son Giulio began his
career. Eugenio Degani’s skill in violin making
demonstrated outstanding craftsmanship and a unique
style.
Especially characteristic are his elongated, deeply carved
scrolls and his double purfling technique on some violins
from his Montagnana period. The used materials are often
spectacular and the varnish is soft-textured and deeply
colored. Occasionally his instruments would imitate the
styles of the old masters, including Stradivari and Guarneri.
Today his violins are highly sought-after by musicians and
collectors.
E. Degani
Violin
Venice
1892
E. Degani
Violin
Venice
1895
E. Degani
Violin
Venice
1898
E. Degani
Violin
Venice
1899
Tomaso Eberle
Vils, 1727 - 1792

Neopolitan maker Tomaso Eberle is the best known

member of a large family of luthiers originally coming from
Vils in Austria, close to the German border and the violin-
making town of Füssen. He probably moved to Italy very
early in his life and before he started his training as a violin
maker, as there is no trace of the Austrian school in his
work. Most likely he learned his craft in Naples from Nicolo
Gagliano, but his style is very distinctive and unique,
especially in his treatment of the f-holes and the scrolls.
While Tomaso Eberle’s instruments show overall similarity
to Nicolo Gagliano in the use of the model and the typical
golden-brown varnish, his work is generally more refined
than that of his teacher. Like the Gagliano family, he often
inscribed a short religious dedication on the inside of the
upper rib. Tomaso’s instruments are considered to be the
epitome of violin making in Naples in the 18th century.
T. Eberle
Ex - Szeryng
Violin
Naples
1760
T. Eberle
Violin
Naples
1775
T. Eberle
Violin
Naples
1777
T. Eberle
Viola
Naples
c. 1780
Francesco Emiliani
Bologna, c. 1680 - 1736

Francesco Emiliani was one of the leading Roman luthiers

of the 18th century, second only to David Tecchler. As it was
fashion for most Roman makers at this time, Emiliani took
the instruments by Jacob Stainer as his principal
inspiration. While he was influenced by the Stainer model,
he made a perhaps more muscular Italian version of it,
adding more punch and projection to the equation. His
craftsmanship is delicate and his instruments are nicely
finished with fine golden varnish. Emiliani’s work is often
compared with David Tecchler, his better-known
contemporary in Rome, although there is not any formal
link between the two makers. However, Emiliani’s violins
are very rare due to the fact, that many of them bear the
label of Tecchler.
F. Emiliani
Violin
Rome
1725
F. Emiliani
Violin
Rome
c. 1725
F. Emiliani
Violin
Rome
1733
Annibale Fagnola
Montiglio, 1866 - 1939

Born into a big family of farmers in Montiglio close to Turin,

Annibale Fagnola worked as a baker and a mechanic
before beginning his activities as a violin maker. In 1894 he
moved to Turin and established his first contacts, probably
through the workshop of Marengo-Rinaldi. The following
year he opened his own workshop with the support of the
dealer and collector Orazio Roggero. Having influential
relations with other fine Turin makers as Guerra and
Oddone, Fagnola won medals at the Genoa and Milan
exhibitions in 1906, and gold medal for a quartet of
instruments in the Turin exhibition in 1911. He quickly
gained an international reputation, which helped him to
achieve commercial success. Counted among the greatest
Italian makers of his generation, Fagnola was largely self-
taught, although he may have studied with Marengo-
Rinaldi. Through beautiful copies of important violins by
Guadagnini, Oddone, Pressenda and Rocca, he transmitted
the Piedmontese tradition of the 18th and 19th century.
Fagnola gradually developed his own style with Pressenda
remaining a strong influence, as many of his instruments
are built on that model. His violins consistently use
materials of the highest quality and are beautifully finished
with the typical deep red varnish of this period. During the
1920s Fagnola reached his peak as a violin maker, with his
instruments being in great demand.
A. Fagnola
Violin
Turin
c. 1899
A. Fagnola
Violin
Turin
c. 1900
A. Fagnola
Violin
Turin
1925
A. Fagnola
Violin
Turin
1932
Giuseppe Fiorini
Bazzano, 1861 - 1934

Giuseppe Fiorini was the son and student of Bolognese

violin maker Raffaele Fiorini. After opening his own
workshop in Bologna in 1885, he moved to Munich in 1889
to enter a partnership with the luthier Andreas Rieger,
whose daughter he married. Fiorini worked the following
years in Germany as a violin maker and restorer, but also
established himself as a great dealer and expert in classical
instruments. When Rieger retired in 1896 he took over the
firm, but moved to Zurich during the First World War to
successfully continue his business. After his acquisition of
the Stradivari relics from the Salabue family in 1920, which
eventually became the foundation of the Stradivari
Museum in Cremona, Fiorini returned to Italy in 1923.
His style is closely inspired by Antonio Stradivari, whose
building techniques he had the opportunity to study in
depth. Fiorini’s interest to research the classical methods of
construction and to bring them back into use in the 20th
century, made him a historical figure of fundamental
importance with great influence on following generations.
Beside his talents as a violin maker and businessman, he
also had an important role as a teacher, especially for
Ansaldo Poggi and Simone Fernando Sacconi.
Fiorini’s instruments are highly praised by musicians and
collectors for the refinement of their workmanship, their
style, varnish and tone quality.
G. Fiorini
Violin
Munich
1911
G. Fiorini
Violin
Munich
1912
G. Fiorini
Violin
Zurich
1919
Giovanni Battista Gabbrielli
Florence, 1716 - 1771

He is considered the most refined and leading Florentine

maker from the 18th century and was probably the teacher
of the Carcassi Brothers. It is likely that Gabbrielli gained his
first experience of violin making in the workshop
established by Cristofori, who was an important figure in
the development of instrument making in Florence and
working for the Medici court. Despite the high reputation
of Cristofori, Jacob Stainer’s influence was strong in central
Italy during the period, with David Tecchler likely being
responsible for importing the Stainer model to Italy in the
early 18th century. It was much in vogue to follow this
trend, first by Roman makers Platner and Emiliani, then by
all the major Florentine luthiers. Gabbrielli is regarded as
the most successful adapter of the Stainer model and his
instruments are very subtle and beautifully finished with
yellow-brown varnish. Because his archings are less
extreme than those of his contemporaries, his work is
distinguished as superior and contributed to his success.
Nowadays, especially his cellos are sought-after by
musicians.
G. B. Gabbrielli
Violin
Florence
1745
G. B. Gabbrielli
Violin
Florence
1750
G. B. Gabbrielli
Cello
Florence
1750
G. B. Gabbrielli
Violin
Florence
1755
G. B. Gabbrielli
Viola
Florence
1763
G. B. Gabbrielli
Violin
Florence
1770
Alessandro Gagliano
Naples, c. 1665 - 1732

Alessandro Gagliano is the founder of the Neapolitan

school of violin making and the first in the line of the
Gagliano dynasty, dating back to the early 18th century.
There are as many as eighteen Gagliano luthiers known
worldwide today, but Alessandro, Nicolo I and Gennaro are
considered the pinnacle of Neapolitan violin making. Little
is known about Alessandro’s background or training, but
his instruments are very unique and quite different to that
of the rest of his family. Unlike his sons Nicolo and Gennaro,
he did not use the Stradivari model, but displayed creative
freedom with his own original designs, reminiscent of
Guarneri del Gesu’s work.
Alessandro also favored deep red pigmented varnish
similar to the great Cremonese makers, while his sons used
more orange or yellow tones for their instruments. The
sound holes are cut short but elegant, and are set low on
the body. His sometimes inaccurate purfling combined
with the strongly flamed wood, gives his instruments a
striking appearance. Alessandro’s violas and cellos are
especially rare, and the instruments featured here show
the contrasting range of his work.
Alessandro
Gagliano
Ex - Rostal
Violin
Naples
1709
Alessandro
Gagliano
Cello
Naples
1709
Alessandro
Gagliano
Viola
Naples
1720
Alessandro
Gagliano
Cello
Naples
1724
Alessandro
Gagliano
Violin
Naples
c. 1725
Gennaro Gagliano
Naples, c. 1705 - 1770

Gennaro Gagliano, also known by his latinized name

Januarius, was the second son of Alessandro and the
brother of Nicolo. Even he didn’t possess the creativity of
his father, he had a prominent position and is considered
one of the best makers of the family. Instead of following
his father’s ideas he turned to Amati and Stradivari as his
main source of inspiration, and used many of their
patterns. Gennaro’s varnish is different to that of his
brother Nicolo, as he generally used a deeper red-orange
pigment, rather than the orange-yellow that became more
common in the Gagliano family towards the end of the
18th century. His meticulous craftsmanship is thought to
be close to that of the great Cremonese makers and his
violins are highly priced for their outstanding playing
qualities with a brilliant tone, responsiveness and power.
Gennaro
Gagliano
Violin
Naples
c. 1740
Gennaro
Gagliano
Cello
Naples
1741
Gennaro
Gagliano
Violin
Naples
1743
Gennaro
Gagliano
Ex - Barbirolli
Cello
Naples
c. 1760
Gennaro
Gagliano
Violin
Naples
1760
Gennaro
Gagliano
Violin
Naples
1760
Gennaro
Gagliano
Violin
Naples
1763
Gennaro
Gagliano
Violin
Naples
c. 1770
Nicolo Gagliano
Naples, c. 1700 - 1785

Nicolo Gagliano, also known as Nicolo I, Nicola or the

latinized Nicolaus, was the eldest son of Alessandro and is
generally considered the most famous member of the
family. One of the great makers of the Neapolitan tradition,
his instruments stand out for their fine craftsmanship and
sound quality. Coming from a family dynasty spanning
more than two centuries (c.1665-1886), his violins, together
with those of his brother Gennaro, are among the most
sought-after of the Gagliano family. For the most part his
work followed the Stradivari model, as later generations of
the family did, although occasionally he copied Amati.
Nicolo’s instruments are distinctive by their bold
characteristics, unusual scrolls with an elongated pegbox
and a small, tight spiral. Together with his brother Gennaro,
he developed a harder slightly green-yellow varnish, use of
beach wood for linings and paper fiber for the black outer
strips of the purfling. These pioneering elements became
later hallmarks of the Neapolitan school.
Nicolo
Gagliano
Violin
Naples
c. 1740
Nicolo
Gagliano
Violin
Naples
1757
Nicolo
Gagliano
Violin
Naples
1758
Nicolo
Gagliano
Violin
Naples
1760
Nicolo
Gagliano
Violin
Naples
c. 1770
Nicolo
Gagliano
Violin
Naples
1771
Nicolo
Gagliano
Cello
Naples
1774
Nicolo
Gagliano
Violin
Naples
1780
Ferdinando Gagliano
Naples, c. 1738 - 1804

Ferdinando Gagliano was the eldest of Nicolo’s four violin-

making sons and most likely a student of his uncle,
Gennaro. Ferdinando worked most of the time
independently of other family members, contrary to his
brothers Giuseppe and Antonio. While his choice of
materials is often mediocre, he sometimes displays
excellent craftsmanship paired with superior wood, as
shown by the Ex-Partello violin of 1782.
Ferdinando
Gagliano
Violin
Naples
c. 1770
Ferdinando
Gagliano
Cello
Naples
c. 1780
Ferdinando
Gagliano
Ex - Partello
Violin
Naples
1782
Ferdinando
Gagliano
Violin
Naples
1784
Giuseppe Gagliano
Naples, c. 1742 - 1820

Giuseppe, a member of the third generation of the

Gagliano family, was the son and pupil of Nicolo Gagliano.
Very similar in style to his father, he modeled many
instruments after Stradivari and Amati and his best violins
equal the level of Nicolo’s craftsmanship. Giuseppe worked
for many years with his brother Antonio and the two
shared credits on several instruments, but the results of
the brothers’ collaboration are generally inferior to
Giuseppe’s own work.
Giuseppe
Gagliano
Violin
Naples
1775
Giuseppe
Gagliano
Violin
Naples
1784
Giuseppe
Gagliano
Violin
Naples
1789
Giuseppe
Gagliano
Violin
Naples
c. 1800
Giuseppe & Antonio Gagliano
fl. Naples, c. 1770 - 1800

Antonio Gagliano was the son of Nicolo and younger

brother of Giuseppe. Lesser known and not as blessed with
talent as his brother, especially as an individual luthier,
Antonio worked most extensively with Giuseppe. The
instruments made in collaboration between the two rarely
achieve the level of execution and beauty of those made by
Giuseppe alone. More than hundred surviving instruments,
dated between the late 1770s and early 1800s, bear their
joint label ‘Joseph & Antonius Gagliano Fec. Anno 17## In
Platea dicta Cerriglio’.
Today, J & A Gaglianos are still sought-after by musicians
and collectors alike, and are actively traded on auctions.
G. & A.
Gagliano
Violin
Naples
1790
G. & A.
Gagliano
Violin
Naples
c. 1800
G. & A.
Gagliano
Violin
Naples
1805
Acknowledgments
I would like to thank many friends, colleagues and also my
family for contributing and supporting this challenging
and exciting project. Without their help it would have been
impossible to realize one of my dreams:
Alessandro, Andrea, Ansaldo, Anton, Augusto, Bernard,
Carlo, David, Dobrin, Domenico, Felix, Franz, Gaetano,
Gennaro, George, Giacomo, Giovanni, Giuseppe, Gudrun,
Hannes, Henryk, Irene, Juhyeong, Ken, Kyungah, Lena,
Lorenzo, Marino, Martin, Matteo, Michael, Michele,
Munhyeong, Nicola, Paolo, Peter, Renato, Stefan, Thomas
and Vincenzo.
My special thanks go to Tarisio for their kind assistance,
expertise and generous support.

Bibliography
Beare, Charles: Antonio Stradivari, London, 1993
Biddulph, Peter: Giuseppe Guarneri ‘del Gesu',
London, 1998
Blot, Eric: Liuteria Italiana, Vols I-IV, Cremona, 1994-2001
Dilworth, John & Ingles, Tim: Four Centuries of Violin
Making, London, 2006
Gindin, Dmitry: The Late Cremonese Violin Makers,
Cremona, 2002
Rosengard, Duane: Giovanni Battista Guadagnini,
Haddonfield, 2000
Sadie, Stanley & Tyrrel, John (Ed.): The New Grove
Dictionary of Musical Instruments, London, 2001

Author
The author is a professional violinist from Germany and
played for many years in the German Radio Philharmonic,
the Malaysian Philharmonic and the Singapore Symphony
Orchestra. He is playing a violin by Carlo Tononi.
Copyright 2022 by Michael Norberg All rights reserved