Milan

133 makers. The earliest year printed is 1624, the latest 1890.

Every maker here has Milan in a printed line.

1600s

• 1624 Manzone, Giovanni
  Manzone, Giovanni. — Mailand. 1624.
• about 1645 Grancino, Andrea
  GRANCINO (Andrea) — Milan circa 1645. Little known. Probably brother of the one preceding.
• 1645 to 1730 Grancino, Giovanni
  GRANCINO (Giovanni). Italian violin-maker of 17th and 18th centuries. Worked at Milan about 1694-1720. He made good instruments. His father, PAOLO, worked at Milan during 1665-92.
• 1645 to 1682 Grancino, Giovanni I
  GRANCINO, GIOVANNI I, Milan, 1645 to 1682.
• 1646 Smit, Giovanni
  Smit (Smith), Giovanni. — Mailand. 1646
• 1664 Benito, A. J. Antoni
  Benito, A. J. Antoni. — Mailand (?). 1664.
• 1665 to 1690 Grancino, P.
  Grancino, P., Milan—1665-90.
• 1666 Posta, Cristofaro
  Posta, Cristofaro. — Mailand. 1666.
• about 1670 Bendini, G.-B.
  BENDINI (G.-B.) — Milan circa 1670. It is to be regretted that faulty varnish should spoil his work, which is otherwise good.
• about 1670 Borgia, Antonio
  BORGIA (Antonio) — Milan circa 1670. Testore school. Ordinary work and material.
• 1675 to 1737 Grancino, Giovanni II.
  Grancino, Giovanni II. — Mailand. Geb. um 1675, † nach 1737.
• 1684 to 1700 Santo, Santino
  Santo (Sanzo, Sanzio), Santino. — Mailand.
• 1685 to 1768 Guadagnini, Giambattista I
  GUADAGNINI (Giambattista I) — Milan and Parme 1685-1768. Very probably Lorenzo's brother. Followed Strad and Amati models. If his instruments lack finish, this is compensated by a fine gilt yellow varnish and excellent tone.
• 1687 to 1765 Testore, Carlo
  Testore, Carlo Antonio, eldest son of Carlo Giuseppe Testore, from whom he learnt his trade. Worked in Milan, in the Contrada Larga, at the sign of the Eagle (dell' aquila), about 1735-65; according to one l…
• 1687 to 1754 Testore, Carlo Giuseppe
  Testore, Carlo Giuseppe, b. at Novara; settled at Milan about 1687, and worked there till about 1720. He was a pupil of Giovanni Grancino, for whose …
• 1690 to 1694 Bellone, Pietro Antonio
  Bellone, Pietro Antonio, known as Il Pescorino. A maker in Milan in 1694. Label: "Pietro Antonio Bellone, detto il Pescorino, fece in contrada larga di Milano, 1694, al segno di S. Antonio da Padova."
• 1690 to 1730 Grancino, Gian-Battista I
  GRANCINO (Gian-Battista I) — Milan and Ferrare circa 1690-1730. According to his label, son of Paolo. Better selected woods, orange varnish. Fine tone No 236.
• 1690 to 1700 Grancino, Gian-Battista II
  GRANCINO (Gian-Battista II) — Milan circa 1690-1700. Eldest son of Giovanni. He worked with his brother Francesco, but his work lacks finish and the varnish is dull. His 'cellos are fairly good. No 235.
• 1690 Grancino, Giovanni Baptista
  GRANCINO, Giovanni Baptista, Milan, 1690. Brother of Giovanni mentioned above. Similar characteristics.
• 1690 Grancino, Giovanni Battista
  Grancino, Giovanni Battista, Milan, 1690. Son of Giovanni mentioned above. Similar characteristics.
• 1690 Meloni, Antonio
  Meloni, Antonio. — Mailand. 1690. 1694.
• 1690 to 1715 Testore, C. G.
  Testore, C. G., Milan—1690-1715.
• 1690 to 1760 Testore, Paolo Antonio
  Testore, Paolo Antonio, Milan, b. about 1690, d. after 1760.
• 1694 to 1720 Grancino
  GRANCINO (Giovanni). Italian violin-maker of 17th and 18th centuries. Worked at Milan about 1694-1720. He made good instruments. His father, PAOLO, worked at Milan during 1665-92.
• 1694 to 1735 Grancino, G.
  Grancino, G., Milan—1694-1735.
• 1694 Meloni, A.
  Meloni, A., Milan—1694.
• 1695 to 1746 Guadagnini, L.
  Guadagnini, L., Milan—1695-1746.
• 1697 Grancino, Gio Batt
  Grancino, Gio Batt. II. — Mailand. — 1697. 1705.
• 1697 Worschel, Antonio
  Worschel, Antonio. — Mailand. 1697

1700s

• 1700 Brossa, Francesco
  Brossa (Brosa, Bresa), Francesco. — Mailand. 1700
• about 1700 Lavazza, Antonio Maria
  Lavazza (or Lacasso), Antonio Maria. A maker in Milan about 1700. Followed the Stradivari pattern, used a good varnish, pale red colour. Label: "Antonio Maria Lavazza fece in Milano in contrada larga, 1708."
• 1700 to 1720 Mezzadri, F.
  Mezzadri, F., Milan—1700-20.
• 1700 Mezzadri, Francesco
  Mezzadri, Francesco. — Mailand. 1700. 1750
• about 1700 Santino
  SANTINO.—Milan; about 1700. Grancino type of work.
• 1707 Batiazza, Antonio Maria
  Batiazza, Antonio Maria. — Mailand. 1707
• about 1710 Compostano, Antonio
  COMPOSTANO (Antonio) — Milan circa 1710. Grancino style. Fine tone. Yellow-brown-varnish. Large pattern. No 321.
• 1710 to 1750 Grancino, F.
  Grancino, F., Milan—1710-50.
• 1710 to 1750 Grancino, G. B.
  Grancino, G. B., Milan—1710-50.
• about 1712 Mezadri, Francesco
  Mezadri, Francesco, Milan, about 1712.
• 1716 Cabroli, Lorenzo
  CABROLI, LORENZO, Milan, 1716.
• 1716 Lupp, Franc
  Lupp, Franc. Antonio. — Mailand. 1716
• 1717 to 1718 Capo
  CAPO, ——, Milan, 1717 to 1718.
• 1718 Lavazza, S.
  Lavazza, S., Milan—1718.
• 1718 Lavazza, Santino
  Lavazza, Santino. Was working in Milan at the same time as Antonio Maria Lavazza. Label: "Santino Lavazza fece in Milano in contrada larga, 1718."
• about 1720 Cabrioli, Lorenzo
  CABRIOLI (Lorenzo) — Milan circa 1720. Good make. Orange varnish. Small pattern.
• 1720 to 1740 Testore, Carlo-Antonio
  TESTORE (CARLO-ANTONIO). — Milan, 1720-1740. Fils aîné du précédent. Ses instruments bien faits et d’une coupe
• 1720 to 1745 Testore, P. A.
  Testore, P. A., Milan—1720-45.
• 1722 Grancino, Gramino
  Grancino, Gramino. — Mailand. 1722.
• 1725 to 1730 Tanegia, Carlo Antonio
  Tanegia, Carlo Antonio. Was working in Milan about 1725-30. Label: "Carolus Antonius Tanegia fecit in Via Lata, Mediolani, anno 1730."
• 1730 Moretti, Antonio
  Moretti, Antonio. — Mailand. 1730.
• 1730 Plesber, Francesco
  Plesber (Plesbler), Francesco. — Mailand. 1730. 1778.
• 1730 Presbler, Francesco
  Presbler (Plesber, Plesbler), Francesco. — Mailand. 1730. 1773
• 1730 Tanegia, C. A.
  Tanegia, C. A., Milan—1730.
• 1731 Gianoli, Domenico
  Gianoli, Domenico. — Mailand. 1731
• 1733 Scoti, Antonio
  Scoti, Antonio. — Mailand. 1733. 1747
• 1735 to 1785 Carlo Ferdinando Landolfi
  LANDOLFI (Carlo-Ferdinando) — Milan 1735-1785. Original work, very unequal in quality and fairly large in production. His
• 1735 to 1775 Landolfi, C. F.
  Landolfi, C. F., Milan—1735-75.
• 1735 to 1741 Testore, C. A.
  Testore, C. A., Milan—1735-41.
• 1736 to 1805 Guadagnini, Giuseppe I
  Guadagnini, Giuseppe I, genannt »Soldato«. — Mailand. Como. Parma. Pavia. Geb. 1736, † nach 1805.
• 1737 to 1760 Alberti, Ferdinando
  Alberti, Ferdinando. A maker in Milan, 1740-60. His instruments are fairly well made and varnished bright yellow. Label: "Ferdinando Alberti, fece in Milano, nella contrada del pesce al segno della Corona, nell' anno 1743."
• 1742 Milani, Francesco
  Milani, Francesco. — Mailand. 1742
• died 1746 Grancino, Francesco
  GRANCINO, FRANCESCO, Milan, 1690, d. 1746.
• 1750 Finolli, Giuseppe Antonio
  Finolli, Giuseppe Antonio. — Mailand. 1750. 1755.
• about 1750 Gianoli, Dominico
  GIANOLI (Dominico) — Milan circa 1750. Skilful copyist of the Cremonese masters.
• 1750 to 1760 Landolfi
  Landolfi (Landulphus), Carlo Ferdinando, a renowned violin-maker at Milan, from 1750–60, whose 'celli stand even in higher repute than his violins. L. imitated Giuseppe Guarneri with great success.
• 1750 to 1800 Landolfi, Pietro Antonio
  LANDOLFI, Pietro Antonio, Milan, 1750 to 1800. Son, pupil and successor of Carlo Ferdinando Landolfi, whose skill he was never able to equal. He was less painstaking and his work could never be classed with that of a master.
• 1750 Landulphus, Carolus Ferdinandus
  LANDULPHUS, Carolus Ferdinandus, Milan, 1750. Pupil of Joseph Guarnerius. His works are rapidly increasing in value. Though he belonged to the latest of …
• 1750 Mantegatia, Pietro and Giovanni
  MANTEGATIA (Pietro and Giovanni) — Milan 1750. These two brothers worked in collaboration and seem to have specialised in the manufacture of violas. Their …
• 1750 to 1800 Mantegazza
  Mantegazza (or Montegatia), Pietro and Giovanni. Two brothers working in Milan about 1750 to 1800. They
• 1750 to 1790 Mantegazza, Pietro Giovanni
  MANTEGAZZA, PIETRO GIOVANNI, Milan, 1750 to 1790.
• about 1755 Finolli, Joseph-Antonio
  FINOLLI (Joseph-Antonio) — Milan circa 1755. Sober work. This maker must have produced little. No 494.
• 1757 Mantegatia, P. J.
  Mantegatia, P. J., Milan—1757.
• 1758 Leoriporri, Giovan Francesco
  Leoriporri, Giovan Francesco. — Mailand. 1758. 1759.
• 1760 to 1764 Fiscer
  Fiscer, Carlo and Giuseppe; two brothers working in Milan together about 1760-64. Their work resembles more that of German than …
• 1760 Fiscer, Brüder
  Fiscer, Brüder. — Mailand. 1760. 1764.
• about 1760 Fiscer, Giuseppe and Carlo
  FISCER (Giuseppe and Carlo) — Milan circa 1760. Good work. Pale red varnish. Of German origin. No 318.
• 1760 to 1764 Fischer
  FISCHER, Carlo and Giuseppe, brothers. Milan about 1760-64; inclined to German style, but good varnish.
• 1760 to 1764 Fischer, Bruder
  FISCHER (FITTER), BRUDER, Milan, 1760 to 1764.
• 1760 Leoriporri, Giovanni-Francesco
  LEORIPORRI (Giovanni-Francesco) — Milan 1760. His style is in no way Italian. Brown-yellow varnish, the sound holes after the German fashion. No 314.
• 1760 Mantegazza, Carlo
  Mantegazza, Carlo. — Mailand. 1760.
• 1760 Mantegazza, Francesco
  Mantegazza, Francesco. — Mailand. 1760.
• 1761 Battaglia, Antonio
  Battaglia, Antonio. — Mailand. 1761. 1766.
• 1763 Sarini, F.
  Sarini, F. — Mailand. 1763
• 1764 Testore, Giovanni
  Testore, Giovanni. — Mailand. 1764.
• 1765 Artalli, Giuseppe Antonio
  Artalli, Giuseppe Antonio. — Mailand 1765.
• 1767 Monzino, Antonio
  Monzino, Antonio. — Mailand. 1767. 1795
• 1767 Testore, Gennaro (?)
  Testore, Gennaro (?). — Mailand. 1767
• 1769 Carlo, Giuseppe
  Carlo, Giuseppe. — Mailand. 1769.
• 1769 Carlo, J.
  Carlo, J., Milan—1769.
• 1769 Milani, Giuseppe Carlo
  Milani (Milano), Giuseppe Carlo. — Mailand. 1769
• 1770 Fiscer, Carlo Vincenzo
  Fiscer, Carlo Vincenzo. — Mailand. 1770.
• 1770 Fischer, Carlo Vincenzo
  Fischer, Carlo Vincenzo. — Mailand. 1770
• 1778 Plesber, Giuseppe
  Plesber, Giuseppe. — Mailand. 1778. 1801.
• 1780 Mantegatia, Petrus Johannes
  MANTEGATIA, Petrus Johannes, Mediolani, 1780. Guadagnini character. The work is well done, and the modelling good. His Tenors are among his best instruments.
• 1780 Montegratia, P. J.
  Montegratia, P. J., Milan—1780.
• 1780 Montegratia, Petrus Johannes
  Montegratia, Petrus Johannes, Mediolani, 1780. Guadagnini character. The work is well done, and the modelling good. His Tenors are among his best instruments.
• died 1790 Mantegazza, Giovanni
  Mantegazza, Giovanni. — Mailand. 1760.
• 1790 Vimercati, Gaspar
  VIMERCATI, GASPAR, Milan, 1790.
• 1790 Vimercati, Gaspare
  Vimercati, Gaspare. — Mailand. 1790.
• 1790 Vimercati, Gaspare
  VIMERCATI, GASpare, Milan, 1790.
• 1792 Mantegatia, P.
  Mantegatia, P., Milan—1792.

1800s

• about 1800 Bortoletti, Luigi
  BORTOLETTI (Luigi) — Milan circa 1800. Yellow varnish. Pretty work.
• 1800 Isep, Carl (Carlo Giuseppe)
  Isep, Carl (Carlo Giuseppe). — Mailand. 1800.
• 1800 Merighi, A.
  Merighi, A. — Mailand. 1800.
• born 1808 Mainl, Lavinia
  Mainl, Lavinia, geb. 1808; geb. 1800; geb. 1822 in Mailand.
• 1810 Arienti, Carlo Giuseppe
  Arienti, Carlo Giuseppe. Mailand. 1810 (?). 1863 (?)
• 1810 to 1815 Bortolotti, Luigi
  Bortolotti, Luigi. A maker in Milan about 1810-15. His instruments are carefully made, with yellow varnish. "Luigi Bortolotti, 1815," was found stamped on a cither.
• 1813 to 1833 Galbusera, Carlo Antonio
  Galbusera, Carlo Antonio. At first an officer in the Italian army, then settled in Milan, and began to construct instruments on the principles of François Chanot. In 1832 he was awarded a silver medal by the M…
• 1815 Marchetti, Abbondio
  Marchetti, Abbondio. — Mailand. 1815. 1840
• 1829 Zerboni, Antonio
  Zerboni, Antonio. — Mailand. 1829
• 1832 Galbusera, C. A.
  Galbusera, C. A., Milan—1832.
• about 1840 Bagoni, Luigi (or Bajoni)
  Bagoni, Luigi (or Bajoni), Milan, from about 1840. Was living in 1876.
• 1842 Rossi, Nicola
  Rossi, Nicola. — Mailand. 1842. 1844
• 1850 Poli, Giovanni
  Poli, Giovanni. — Mailand. 1850. 1882.
• 1850 Ponzi, Giulio
  Ponzi, Giulio. — Mailand. 1850
• born 1864 Farotti, Celeste
  Farotti, Celeste. — Mailand. Geb. 1864
• died 1878 Bajoni, Luigi
  Bajoni, Luigi. — Mailand. 1838. † nach 1878.
• born 1879 Ullmann, Georg
  Ullmann, Georg. — Mailand, Zürich. Geb. 9. September 1879 in Bad Elster
• 1883 Airaghi, Cesare
  Airaghi, Cesare. — Mailand. 1883.
• 1886 Antoniazzi, Riccardo
  Antoniazzi, Riccardo. — Mailand 1886. 1910
• 1888 Tarasconi, Giuseppe
  Tarasconi, Giuseppe. — Mailand. 1888.
• 1890 Bisiach, Leandro
  Bisiach, Leandro. — Mailand. 1890. 1902.

No year printed

• no year Bisiach, Leandre
  BISIACH (Leandre) — Milan. Contemporary. Valuable modern make.
• no year Gatti, Angelo
  Gatti, Angelo. — Mailand
• no year Guadagnini, Guisseppe
  GUADAGNINI, GUISSEPPE. Son of the preceeding. Was a violin maker in Milan, Como, and Parma, and employed his father's tickets. His instruments have a fairly good tone.
• no year Landolphi, Ferdinand
  LANDOLPHI, FERDINAND, Milan, about same date.
• no year Lavazza, Antonio
  LAVAZZA, Antonio, Milan.
• no year Pasta, Bartolomeo
  Pasta, Bartolomeo. — Mailand.
• no year Rossi, Gaetano
  Rossi, Gaetano. — Mailand.
• no year Santo, Sentino
  SANTO (SENTINO). — Milan, 17…
• no year Sanzo Santino, Santo Sentino
  SANZO SANTINO (Santo Sentino). Milan, 18th century; good; resembles Grancino.
• no year Smith, Giovanni
  Smith, Giovanni. — Mailand.
• no year Tiefenbrucker, Jachomo
  Tiefenbrucker, Jachomo. — Mailand. 18. Jahrhundert

The books that name them

• Die Geigen- und Lautenmacher vom Mittelalter bis zur Gegenwart, 1904
• Die Geigen und Lautenmacher vom Mittelalter bis zur Gegenwart, 1922
• Old Violins And Their Makers, James M. Fleming, 1883
• Dictionary of Violin makers, Arnold Sewell, 1928
• A dictionary of violin makers, Stainer
• An encyclopedia of the violin, Alberto Bachmann, 1925
• The violin: its famous makers and their imitators, Hart, 1875 and 1884
• Old violins, Haweis, 1905
• Biographical dictionary of musicians : with a bibliography of English writings on music, Brown, 1886
• the violin its famous makers and their imitators, 1909
• The fiddle fancier's guide; a manual of information regarding violins, violas, basses and bows of classical and modern times, together with biographical notices and portraits of the most famous performers of these instruments, Fleming, 1892
• Dictionary of music, 1908
• Violins and violin makers. Biographical dictionary of the great Italian artistes, their followers and imitators, to the present time. With essays on important subjects connected with the violin, Pearce, 1866
• The violin: its famous makers and their imitators. : With several wood engravings from photographs of the works of Stradiuarius, Guarnerius, Amati, and others, Hart, 1880
• Violin tone and violin makers, 1916
• La lutherie et les luthiers, 1889
• Les ancêtres du violon et du violoncelle, les luthiers et les fabricants d'archets;, 1901

Some names appear twice under different spellings. Each is one book's spelling.