Andrea Castagneri, 1742: Fine violin from professional ownership (Roger & Max Millant certificate)

Andrea Castagneri (1696-1747) was an important protagonist of the old Parisian school of violin making. This mature work from his later period suggests that he not only brought the knowledge of the classical principles of Italian violin making with him to France - but also a stock of first-class tonewoods from his homeland.

The fact that the violin on offer here is a top historical instrument that meets the highest demands of professional musicians is proven by its recent provenance history - in which it was the main instrument of a New York violin teacher for decades, who bought it in 1931 from the world-famous Roger et Max Millant house in Paris. Its warm and colorful sound combines full-bodied grandeur in the lower ranges with a radiantly sweet character in the upper ranges and is perfectly balanced across all strings, right up to the highest registers. In its excellent state of preservation, the full beauty of its light brown, golden-yellow primed varnish is shown to authentic advantage. The interesting, deep flames of the two-piece maple back and the harmonious grain of the one-piece spruce top, which according to our research is probably a restoration addition from Jacques Francais in New York, immediately reveal to the knowledgeable eye the high status that this Andrea Castagneri violin claims - as an expression of the self-confidence that Castagneri, who was elected master of the Parisian violin makers' guild two years before it was made, was fully entitled to. Its original label inside the body and the historical certificate from Roger et Max Millant document the journey of this rare French violin through time.

• Andrea Castagneri - Italo-French violin from 1742
• top instrument from the estate of a renowned New York professional musician
• one-piece spruce top by Jacques Francais, New York
• violin bearing Andrea Castagneri's original label
• Historical certificate from Roger et Max Millant, Paris
• Excellent condition, great, balanced sound

Like all instruments in the Corilon catalog, extensively refurbished and ready to play, delivered free of shipping costs with a 30-day return policy, trade-in guarantee and including a certificate of appraisal.