Franco Albanelli, 1991: A fine contemporary Italian violin (certificate by Hieronymus Köstler)

This rare contemporary violin upholds the traditions of Pollastris, a family of violin makers from Bologna. With its outstanding and powerful sound, its typical Italian “melting” and its highly comfortable playing properties, this violin satisfies sophisticated professional standards. It was crafted in 1991 by Franco Albanelli as a mature piece he produced in his 59th year. Franco Albanelli learned his craft from Gaetano Pollastri, and he and the highly esteemed Otello Bignami are ranked amongst the most prominent students of the influential Pollastri, who trained many excellent luthiers both at Scuola di Liuteria Artistica in Bologna and at his own workshop. Franco Albanelli’s entire oeuvre comprises only 40 instruments, and throughout his work he paid tribute to the heritage of the Pollastri family in terms of both his style and his high quality standards. This Italian violin is a masterpiece with an aesthetic which is rather reserved for Italian stringed instruments; only the strikingly lovely irregular flames of the maple back create a stronger accent. The luminous subtlety of the orange-reddish varnish gently emphasizes elegant details such as the bright and somewhat broader inlay down the centre of the carefully crafted purfling. The harmony of its visual aesthetic is a brilliant match for the violin’s perfectly balanced sound, which has a remarkably fast response and features a blend of a warm, sweet sound with radiant brightness and powerful resonance. At our workshop the instrument was set up and made ready to play, and we heartily recommend this original Franco Albanelli violin among many contemporary fakes as a true rarity of modern Italian violin making. A certificate by the German Stuttgart expert Hieronymus Köstler is included in the price.

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