Antonio Stradivari was an Italian luthier and a craftsman of string instruments such as violins, cellos, guitars, violas and harps. The Latinized form of his surname, Stradivarius, as well as the colloquial Strad are terms often used to refer to his instruments. It is estimated that Stradivari produced 1,116 instruments, of which 960 were violins. Around 650 instruments survive, including 450 to 512 violins. His instruments are considered some of the finest ever made, and are extremely valuable collector's items.
A luthier is a craftsperson who builds or repairs string instruments.
The Guarneri, often referred to in the Latinized form Guarnerius, is the family name of a group of distinguished luthiers from Cremona in Italy in the 17th and 18th centuries, whose standing is considered comparable to those of the Amati and Stradivari families.
Giovanni Battista Guadagnini was an Italian luthier, regarded as one of the finest craftsmen of string instruments in history. He is widely considered the third greatest maker after Antonio Stradivari and Giuseppe Guarneri "del Gesù". The Guadagnini family was known for their violins, guitars and mandolins.
Il Cannone Guarnerius of 1743 is a violin created by the Italian luthier Giuseppe Bartolomeo Guarneri of Cremona (1698–1744).
The Soil Stradivarius of 1714 is an antique violin made by Italian luthier Antonio Stradivari of Cremona (1644–1737). It is one of 700 known extant Stradivari instruments. The instrument was made during Stradivari's "golden period" and is named after the Belgian industrialist Amédée Soil. The current owner of the violin is violinist Itzhak Perlman.
Carlo Bergonzi was an Italian luthier and is the first and most prominent member of the Bergonzi family, a distinguished group of luthiers from Cremona, Italy, a city with a rich tradition of stringed instrument makers. Today his instruments are highly valued for their workmanship and tone. Although he was historically assumed to have first apprenticed with Hieronymus Amati or Antonio Stradivari, he is now known to have been the student of Vincenzo Rugeri.
The violin, viola and cello were first built in the early 16th century, in Italy. The earliest evidence for their existence is in paintings by Gaudenzio Ferrari from the 1530s, though Ferrari's instruments had only three strings. The Académie musicale, a treatise written in 1556 by Philibert Jambe de Fer, gives a clear description of the violin family much as we know it today.
Bartolomeo Giuseppe "del Gesù" Guarneri was an Italian luthier from the Guarneri family of Cremona. He rivals Antonio Stradivari (1644–1737) with regard to the respect and reverence accorded his instruments, and for many prominent players and collectors his instruments are the most coveted of all. Instruments made by Guarneri are often referred to as Del Gesùs.
Francesco Rugeri, also known as Ruger, Rugier, Rugeri, Ruggeri, Ruggieri, Ruggerius, was the first of an important family of luthiers, the Casa Rugeri in Cremona, Italy. His instruments are masterfully constructed. His violins are inspired by Nicolò Amati's "Grand Amati" pattern. Francesco was the first to develop a smaller cello design, which has become the standard for modern cello dimensions. Today, Rugeri's instruments are nearly as renowned as Nicolò Amati's instruments.
Carlo Bisiach (1892–1968) was a violin maker born in Milan, Italy. Bisiach's work contributed to the rebirth of violin making in the region after the difficult times of World War I and World War II. After working with his father Leandro in Milan and then Siena, Carlo established himself at Florence in 1922. The most talented of Leandro's sons, Carlo went on to develop his own style quite separate from the Antoniazzi-derived work of his father and brothers.
Andrea Guarneri was an Italian luthier, musician and founder of the Casa Guarneri. He is the most important student of Nicola Amati and grandfather of one of the best luthiers, Bartolomeo Giuseppe Guarneri, del Gesù.
David Laurie - was a distinguished 19th century violin collector.
Dimitri Musafia is an artisan maker of violin and viola cases for his own company, Musafia. Residing in Cremona, Italy, he first trained as a violinist, and subsequently as a violin maker at the Stradivari Institute in Cremona, before self-teaching to make cases, beginning in 1983, on the basis of his previous studies.
Giuseppe Giovanni Battista Guarneri, better known as Giuseppe filius Andrea Guarneri was a violin maker from the prominent Guarneri family of luthiers who lived in Cremona, Italy.
Rembert Wurlitzer Co. was a distinguished firm in New York City that specialized in fine musical instruments and bows.
Nicola Amati, Nicolò Amati or Nicolao Amati was an Italian master luthier from Cremona, Italy. Amati is one of the most well-known luthiers from the Casa Amati. He was the teacher of illustrious Cremonese School luthiers such as Andrea Guarneri and Giovanni Battista Rogeri. While no clear documentation exists for their being apprentices in his shop, Amati may also have apprenticed Antonio Stradivari, Francesco Rugeri, and Jacob Stainer, as their work is heavily influenced by Amati.
Anastasiya Petryshak is a Ukrainian violinist.
The Le Brun Stradivarius of 1712 is a violin made by Italian luthier Antonio Stradivari of Cremona (1644–1737). It is the only violin from Stradivari’s golden period known to have been owned and played by the violinist Niccolò Paganini. When sold at a Sotheby's auction in London in November 2001 it achieved one of the highest prices ever paid for a violin at auction, and became the most expensive instrument in Europe.
Bein & Fushi, Inc. is a stringed instrument dealership and repair shop in Chicago founded in 1976, known internationally for its dealership of antique string instruments such as those made by luthiers Antonio Stradivari and Giuseppe Guarneri. Bein & Fushi includes the Stradivari Society, known for lending rare violins to young aspiring artists.
