This article is taken from The Strad March 2006.

Written by Sean Bishop, Photographs Richard Valencia

Maker Giuseppe Fiorini

Nationality Italian

Born Bazzano, 1861

Died Munich, 1934

Instrument Viola

Date Munchen 1899

Label Text Giuseppe Fiorini Munchen 1899

Giuseppe Fiorini is regarded as one of the fines makers of the late 19th and early 20th Centuries. He Studied violin making with his father, Raffaele, in Bologna and set up his own workshop in Italy before moving to Munich. He lived and worked in the city for the next 25 years, but moved to Zurich during the First World War returning to Italy in 1923.

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This article is taken from The Strad October 2006.

Written by Sean Bishop, Photographs Richard Valencia

Maker Annibale Fagnola

Nationality Italian

Born Bazzano, 1866

Died Munich, 1939

Instrument Viola

Date 1928

Label Text Hannibal Fagnola Fecit Taurini Anno Domini 1928

Annibale Fagnola is today regarded as one of the finest makers of the 20th century.
Born just outside Turin in 1866, he came to violin making relatively late in life, at approximately 30 years of age, after working for a few years in various jobs, including bakery. Little is known about his training and he is generally regarded as being self taught, although he had access to Turin makers of the period (perhaps through the Marengo Romano Rinaldi workshop) as well as the instrument collection of Orazio Roggiero, a well known collector and dealer. Fagnola died in Turin in 1939 having achieved worldwide success.

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This article is taken from The Strad April 2009.
Written by Sean Bishop, Photographs Richard Valencia

Maker Marino Capicchioni

Nationality Italian

Born Santa Mustiola, 1895

Died Rimini, 1977

Instrument Viola

Date 1950

Maker

Marino Capicchioni was born in 1895 in the region of the Republic of San Marino, and spent most of his working life in the seaside town of Rimini on the east coast of Italy. His father Bernardio was a carpenter and from an early age Marino learnt this trade. Music was important to the Capicchioni family, a fact that probably influenced Marino’s eventual career as a violin maker.
No known maker was associated with Capicchioni and his making style does not resemble that of any of his local contemporaries, so it is safe to assume that he must have been self-taught. From the mid-1940s Capicchioni’s son, Mario, assisted him in his workshop. After Capicchioni’s death in 1977, Mario continued to make violins based on his father’s model. During his lifetime, Capicchioni’s instruments belonged to many famous musicians including Yehudi Menuhin, Salvatore Accardo, and David and Igor Oistrakh. This viola was owned by a Swiss collector until 2008, when it was sold to the British violist John Thorne.

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This article is taken from The Strad January 2008.

Written by Sean Bishop, Photographs Richard Valencia 

Maker Vincenzo Postiglione

Nationality Italian

Born Naples, 1831

Died Naples, 1916

Instrument Violin

Date 1891

History

Made in 1891, this instrument is a typical example of Postiglione’s work from 1890 to 1910, and it is in excellent condition. Its first, early certificate is from the Amsterdam firm of Max Möller, and the violin seems to have spent most of its life in Holland. It is now played by Matthew Denton, leader of the London-based Carducci Quartet.

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Just yesterday I had a customer visit me looking for an old violin around £5000. My first thoughts are always "Why old?". In the last 20 years new violin making has had a resurgence and today's new violins (at this price  level) will exhibit , better wood, better workmanship and in my view sound better! For £5000 she was looking for an old French or German violin because her teacher told her that's what she should get .

However my feeling is you have to get the best sounding violin for this money and even if it ends up being a Chinese hand made instrument (shock horror!) Perhaps if you spend £10K or more, things such as "Antique" factor play a part in your purchase however for most people they want to make a better sound than the one they currently produce.  What do you think?

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Welcome to my new website!

Like most dealers my stock changes over the year but in the past my website did not! I now plan to have every instrument and bow listed. So please come back often to check my lists. I am also open to new ideas that people would like to see on the website. I am always happy to answer violin related questions so please feel free to post anything.

Over the past ten years the way violin dealers have worked has changed. No longer is it a visit to a "posh" shop, feeling guilty even asking for a violin that might not be that expensive! In my shop the focus is on finding the customer the right instrument or bow. Whatever your budget I can promise you that I will give you my best level of service. I hope to see you soon!

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