Bow & Bridge Violin and bow makers, as the old books printed them

Scan 160

The violin: its famous makers and their imitators, 1909

6 lines. Read by computer on 27 September 2026. Printed page 114. See the scan on archive.org.

1GAFFINO, Giuseppe, Paris, about 1755. Pupil of Castagneri.
3GAGLIANO, Alessandro, Naples, 1695–1730. A pupil of Antonio Stradivari. The Gagliano family played no unimportant part in the art of Italian Violin-making. It commences with Alessandro, who imitated his master as regards the form which he gave to his instruments. Alessandro Gagliano, upon leaving the workshop of Stradivari, removed to Naples, a city which afforded him greater scope for the exercise of his talents than Cremona. With others, he felt that his chance of success was very small if he remained on ground occupied by the greatest luminaries of his art. His labours at Naples seem to have been so well rewarded that he caused his sons to follow his calling. There is evidence of their having enjoyed what may be termed a monopoly of the Violin manufacture in and around Naples, there being no record of another maker of importance in that locality at the same period. To these makers we are indebted for the Neapolitan School. Although in its productions we miss the lustrous varnish and handsome wood of Cremona, Naples has furnished us with many excellent instruments.
5The works of Alessandro Gagliano are mostly of large pattern and flat model. If we compare

The computer misreads some letters and numbers. Where a name matters to you, read the scan.