Instrument Type: Violin
Circa: 1720
Asking Price: SOLD
Maker: Alessandro Gagliano
The Violin
Alessandro Gagliano made this violin in Naples around 1720. The Albert Cooper Collection held it for years, and Cooper published it in his two-volume book. It is an important piece in the history of Neapolitan violin making.
The one-piece back is gorgeous, and it survives in excellent condition. This Alessandro Gagliano violin speaks with a very powerful voice, rich and colorful, much like its maker’s own individual style. The back measures 35.1 cm.
Documented provenance from a major collection adds real weight to any early Italian instrument. Also, it settles questions that dealers and insurers always ask. This Alessandro Gagliano violin pairs that history with a sound that works on stage.
Instruments by the first generation of the Gagliano family surface far less often than those of Nicolo and Gennaro. Because of that rarity, and because of its condition, sound and published history, this Alessandro Gagliano violin made a truly significant offering.
The Maker
Alessandro Gagliano lived from 1665 to 1732. He founded the great Gagliano family, and he stands as the first known Neapolitan maker. Little survives about his training, and his highly individual work looks quite unlike the rest of his family’s.
His sons Nicolo and Gennaro followed Stradivari’s models. Alessandro did not. Instead he used his own patterns, with a creative freedom that recalls Guarneri del Gesu.
A soft red varnish covers his instruments, and it recalls the great Cremonese makers. Strong flaming in the wood, short but elegant f-holes and sometimes loose purfling give each Alessandro Gagliano violin a striking look of its own.
Certification
Provenance: formerly in the Albert Cooper Collection, and published in his two-volume book on the Gagliano family.
Terms of Sale
This violin has sold, so it is no longer available for purchase. Benning Violins invites you to browse our current catalog of fine instruments. You can also contact us directly to ask about similar pieces.