Riccardo Bergonzi

sku Product SKU:  22105

Riccardo Bergonzi was only twelve when he started making violins. He graduated from the Cremona violin making school in 1979 with highest honors having worked with Stefano Conia among others, He has been working continuously in his own workshop for over thirty years and has won numerous awards and medals for his exceptionally fine work. We’ve sold a number of his fine instruments over the years and are especially happy to offer this exceptionally fine violin.

USD 0.0000

Mario Frosali

sku Product SKU:  22205

Mario Frosali was born in Legnano and worked as a violin maker in Florence starting in 1932. He came to New York working at the Emil Herrmann shop along with Simone Sacconi. In Los Angeles he worked for Wurlitzer, opening his own shop in 1954. He became one of the most respected makers on the West Coast, not just in Los Angeles but here in the Bay Area as well.

USD 0.0000

Alfio Batelli *SOLD*

sku Product SKU:  22018

After training with de Zorzi in Florence, Batelli set up his own shop there. He emigrated to the U.S. in 1947 stopping briefly in Chicago then on to Los Angeles to work with Hans Weisshaar for 13 years. Many of the best makers on the West Coast got excellent training there. This exceptional violin is one of the finest violins by Batelli we’ve seen.

USD 0.0000

Charles Résuche *SOLD*

sku Product SKU:  13157

Résuche worked for famous shops both in Paris (Gand & Bernardel) and Lyon (Diter) before establishing his own shop in Bordeaux. This beautifully made violin has a full, rich tone.

USD 0.0000

Jacques Boquay

sku Product SKU:  12161

Boquay along with Claude Pierray was the premiere early Parisian maker. Built on the grand Amati pattern, this violin has a nice full, rich tone.

USD 0.0000

Emile Boulangeot

sku Product SKU:  20716

Boulangeot worked for some of the finest shops in France, including an apprenticeship to Emile Laurent in 1890, employment with Gustave Bernardel from 1893 and Caressa & Francais until 1909. After taking over the Blanchard shop in Lyons, he also took over the prestigious appointment as luthier to the Lyons Conservatory. This violin was made during the time he was the official luthier to the famous conservatory, and is a classic example of his beautiful wood selection and elegant workmanship. The tone is sweet and colorful, powerful enough for any professional violinist.

USD 0.0000

Franco Albanelli

sku Product SKU:  24039

USD 0.0000

Leon Bernadel

sku Product SKU:  23598

The Bernardel family is one of the most important and esteemed in French violin making. Beginning with Auguste Sebastien Philippe who joined with Nicolas Lupot in 1815, the Bernardels continued on in Paris for over a century. This is a beautiful and classic example this important family’s work.

USD 0.0000

Maurizio Tadioli

sku Product SKU:  23224

Maurizio Tadioli started his training as a violin maker as a child with his grandfather Carlo Pizzamiglio. He graduated from the Cremona School of Violin Making with highest honors in 1985. Since then he has become one of the most important and respected makers in Italy. The long list of awards and honors he has won at international competitions is most impressive.

USD 0.0000

Léon Bernardel *SOLD*

sku Product SKU:  23596

The Bernardel family is one of the most important and distinguished in the history of Parisian violin making. Auguste Sebastian Philippe Bernardel who was the founder of the dynasty, started with Lupot in 1815 and set up his own firm in 1826. His son Eugene Auguste joined his father and established the firm Gand & Bernardel Frères with Eugène Gand. In 1866. Leon Bernardel joined the family firm before setting up his own shop in 1899. He died in 1931. This violin was completed by his son Leon II who continued the family firm. This beautiful violin has an excellent rich and colorful tone.

USD 0.0000

Ada Quaranta

sku Product SKU:  15778

Ada Quaranta’s instrument are in great demand because of their great quality. She studied at the Cremona school beginning in 1990 after receiving her diploma in violin performance. After graduation, she worked in some of the most important shops in Germany and France. She has won numerous awards for her work. We are pleased to be able to offer this fine example of her work.

USD 0.0000

Howard Needham

sku Product SKU:  24217

After a career as a systems analyst, Howard Needham began making acoustic guitars in 1973, transitioning to the violin family in the eraly 1980's. He worked with Gary Baese in the 1990's who was doing extensive research in 18th century Italian violin varnish. In 2007 in a blind comparison of 100 instruments, on eof his violins beat every other instrument except for a J. B. Guadagini. His violins are excellent reproductions of a Guarneri del Gesu of the Medici Stradivarius of 1716. His fine instruments are being played by many acconplished musicians.

This wonderful violin is the kind of instrument a professional could use for their entire career. The tone is rich, clear and responsive. It's a real joy to play.

USD 0.0000

Michel Eggimann

sku Product SKU:  24189

Born in Switzerland, Michel Eggimann made his first violins there before studying at the Cremona Violin Making School with V. Bissolotti, graduating in 1986. Even before graduation he won 4^th prize at the  4^th Trienalle in Cremona. In 1986 he won the Stouffer Prize for a superb Guarneri copy. He opened his workshop in Lucca, Tuscany in 1991 and then to Rome in 2007. Even before  graduation from the Cremona school,  he had specialized in reproductions of the great Cremonese masters with superb antiquing that very few of today’s makers can equal. 

His work is in great demand, difficult to obtain and we are pleased to offer this superb Guarneri copy.

USD 0.0000

Antonino Cavalazzi*SOLD*

sku Product SKU:  479

Cavalazzi was a student of Domenico Veggi and established his workshop in the late 1920’s. A highly respected maker, he also did extensive research in varnish chemistry. This violin has a full, warm tone of great quality.

USD 0.0000

Raymond Melanson *SOLD*

sku Product SKU:  22575

Ray Melanson has become one of the best known and important violin makers in this country. Having studied art and violin performance, he began his career in the 1970's working with Hans Nebel and Arnold Bone doing repairs and restorations of fine instruments and bows. He then went to the Salt Lake violin making school. Starting in 1983, he spent four years teaching at the North Bennett St violin making school. Since then he has won 14 medals at Violin Society of America competitions. His instruments are owned by a number of famous soloists and members of major symphony orchestras.

USD 0.0000

Labeled Vuillaume

sku Product SKU:  17218

Possibly by George Gemunder

USD 0.0000

Wilhelm Kapfhammer

sku Product SKU:  21804

After graduating from the Mittenwald violin making school, Kapfhammer came to the U.S., teaching at the Violin Making School of America in Salt Lake City. There he trained some of the most important contemporary makers. The tone of this violin is brilliant, responsive with easy playability

USD 0.0000

Léon Bernardel *SOLD*

sku Product SKU:  20380

The Bernardel family was one of the most important dynasties in Parisian violin making for well over a century, not just as makers but as some of the most important dealers in Paris. Léon Bernardel worked at first with Derazey before joining the family firm Gand et Bernardel Frères. He opened his own shop in 1899 and was very successful and respected following the style of Lupot. This violin is an especially fine example of his work.

USD 0.0000

Luigi Rovatti

sku Product SKU:  17733

This violin has a brilliant, responsive tone. The maker emigrated to Argentina from Italy, and may have studied with Joseph and/or Enrico Rocca.

USD 0.0000

Old English *SOLD*

sku Product SKU:  14354

USD 0.0000

Old French Labeled Paul Bailly

sku Product SKU:  14280

USD 0.0000

Mario Frosali

sku Product SKU:  23035

Trained originally as a violinist, Frosali established as a violinmaker in Florence in 1932 having studied with Giuseppe Scarampella. Emigrating to America, he worked first in New York where he worked for Emil Herrmann. While there he worked alongside Simone Sacconi. He moved to Los Angeles in 1939 working at Wurlitzer in their violin department, establishing his own shop in 1954. In 1949 he was the only American maker to win an award at a major competition in the Hague.  He was enormously successful and his instruments were (and still are) in great demand both in the Los Angeles area as well as here in the Bay Area.

USD 0.0000

Carlos Funes Vitanza

sku Product SKU:  23934

Carlos was born In Honduras and moved as a child to Albany California in 1976. He studied at the violin making school in Cremona graduating in 1983 and stayed on for another three years working with some of the best Cremonese masters. He returned to the Bay Area and began working with Rolland Feller in San Francisco. He has continued making fine instruments in his own workshop and has gained the respect of Bay Area musicians.

USD 0.0000

Maurizio Tadioli

sku Product SKU:  23351

Born in 1967, Maurizio worked with his grandfather Carlo Pizzamaglio then graduated from The Cremona School of Violin Making in 1985. He has gone on to win many awards and medals at international competitions. This is an interesting example of his early work and has a certificate from Chris Reuning.

USD 0.0000