Andrea Guarnerius

Highest auction price achieved
£ 229600.00

By George Hart

The name of " Guarnerius " is probably known to every possessor of a Violin throughout the world. The familiar style is attached to scores of copies and non-copies every week, and despatched to the four quarters of the globe. Little did Andrea imagine that he was destined to be the means of lifting his patronymic of Guarneri to such a giddy height! Andrea Guarneri, like Andrea Amati, was the pioneer of the family: but for his influence we might never have had the extraordinary works of his nephew, Giuseppe. How full of interest would the smallest events of Andrea's workshop life prove if we could only ascertain them ! We know that in early years he was working at the side of Stradivari in the shop of their common master, Niccolo Amati. With what delight would any record, or even anecdote, of those golden days in the history of the Violin be received by the lovers of the instrument! The bare idea that these three men were living in daily close converse is sufficient to awaken interest of a lively nature in the mind of a lover of Fiddles. Unhappily, however, no Boswell was at hand to dot down events, of small value when passing, but of great consequence to after time. Andrea Guarneri for some years worked upon the model of his master, though he afterwards changed the character of the sound-hole.* At the same time the form of the instrument became flatter, and the scroll showed signs of originality. The varnish is much varied, but is generally of a light orange colour of beautiful hue ; it sometimes has considerable body, but when so, lacks the transparency of light-coloured varnishes. The Violoncellos are of two sizes. The wood in the Violoncellos is often very plain, but possesses singular tone-producing qualities. The Violins of this maker are among his finest efforts; the workmanship is excellent, but has not the fine finish of Amati.

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Price History

Type Title Sold Price
Violin 35.8 cm [Ascribed to] Sat 1st October 11 £ 12500.00
Violin 35.2 cm Late 17th C. [Attributed to] Fri 1st October 10 £ 24409.00
Violin 35.1 cm Cremona, 1680 c. (dimentions altered) Fri 1st October 10 £ 87000.00
Violin 35.3 cm Cremona, 1695 Sat 1st November 08 £ 95793.00
Violin 35.1 cm 18th C. [Ascribed to] Wed 1st October 08 £ 12500.00
Violin 35.3 cm Cremona, 1690 c. Mon 1st October 07 £ 59489.00
Violin 35.3 cm Cremona, 1680 c. Wed 1st November 06 £ 126046.00
Violin 35.9 cm Cremona, 1710 c. Wed 1st November 06 £ 229600.00
Violin Italy, 1680 c. Tue 1st November 05 £ 38400.00
Violin Cremona, 1687 Sat 1st October 05 £ 115404.00
Violin Cremona, 1670 c. [Table by Gagliano family] Thu 1st July 04 £ 48000.00
Violin 1675 (composite) Mon 1st October 01 £ 39007.00
Violin 1673 Mon 1st November 99 £ 87300.00
Violin 1677 Sun 1st November 98 £ 89500.00
Violin 1645 c. Sun 1st March 98 £ 63100.00
Violin 1676 Sun 1st November 92 £ 137500.00
Violin 1698 Fri 1st November 91 £ 28600.00
Violin 1674 c. Sat 1st June 91 £ 39600.00
Violin Thu 1st November 90 £ 16500.00
Violin 1679 Thu 1st March 90 £ 33000.00
Cello 1697 Thu 1st June 89 £ 121000.00
Violin 1662 Thu 1st June 89 £ 126500.00
Violin 1655 Tue 1st November 88 £ 93500.00
Violin 1694 Thu 1st May 86 £ 34100.00
Violin 1656 Fri 1st May 81 £ 12100.00
Violin Mon 12th May 14 £ 68500.00
Violin Wed 5th October 11 £ 12500.00

Books by Amati

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