Giovanni Battista Guadagnini
Violin maker
(1711 – 1786)
G.B. Guadagnini is widely regarded as the greatest violin maker of the second half of the 18th century, a title he earned through 44 years of labor and experimentation, perseverance in a multitude of regional markets, and an original style that produced some of the best instruments in history.
Information about Guadagnini's training is scant. Though his early labels indicate that he was a student of his father Lorenzo, it is not clear that Lorenzo ever made violins, as he was an innkeeper by trade. These early instruments date from around 1740, when Guadagnini father and son were living in Piacenza. They feature attractive materials and an appealing reddish orange varnish. Guadagnini became interested in cellos during this period, and innovation along the lines of Stradivari's "forma B" model was encouraged by his relationship with cellist Carlo Ferrari. The cellos, which are highly prized, are about 4 cm shorter than the "forma B," and their increased depth and width may have been inspired by the models of Domenico Montagnana. Guadagnini followed Ferrari to Milan in 1749, and further modified his strikingly original approach with a luminous red varnish.
His relationship to the town of Cremona is unclear--at some points in his life Guadagnini claimed to have family origins there--but around 12 violins from 1758 bear labels suggesting they were made there. These violins are quite similar to his Milanese works, though the varnish is softer, and more yellow-orange than red.
When Carlo Ferrari moved to Parma to take up employment under the Duke of Bourbon around 1759, Guadagnini followed suit, which explains the addition of the monogram 'CSR' ('His Serene Royal Highness') to his labels. During this twelve year period his instruments are characterized by local "oppio" maple, higher archings and browner varnish.
Finally, Guadagnini moved to Turin in 1771, where he met the collector Count Cozio di Salabue in 1773. Cozio later became his patron, and was responsible for the commission of some of Guadagnini's finest works, though their relationship was sometimes strained. The count acquired the remaining articles from the Stradivari workshop from the maker's grandson Paolo around 1774, which afforded Guadagnini the opportunity to acquaint himself with the great master's work first hand. Subsequently he adopted Stradivari's models more frequently, appended the text "Alumnus Antonii Stradivarii" to his labels, and returned to the fine red varnish of his Milanese instruments.
Price History
- The auction record for this maker is $2,466,386 in Nov 2018, for a cello.
- 162 auction price results.
View all auction prices for Giovanni Battista Guadagnini
Guadagnini family tree
Instruments
Violin -
1740
Piacenza
Violin -
1740
Piacenza
Violin -
1740
Piacenza
Violin -
1740
Piacenza
Violin -
1740
Piacenza
Violin -
1740
Piacenza
Violin -
1742
Piacenza
the 'Bazzini'
Violin -
1742
Piacenza
the 'Moller'
Violin -
1742
Piacenza
Violin -
1743
Piacenza
the 'Szanto'
Violin -
1743
Piacenza
the 'Roentgen'
Violin -
1743
Piacenza
Violin -
1743
Piacenza
Violin -
1744
Piacenza
Violin -
1744
Piacenza
the 'Foltzer'
Violin -
1744
Piacenza
the 'Baron Knoop'
Violin -
1744
Piacenza
the 'Canadian'
Violin -
1744
Piacenza
the 'Segelman'
Violin -
1744
Piacenza
the 'Schwalbe'
Violin -
1744
Piacenza
Violin -
1745
Piacenza
the 'Joachim'
Violin -
1745
Piacenza
Violin -
1745
Piacenza
Violin -
1745
Piacenza
Violin -
1745
Piacenza
Violin -
c. 1745-49
Piacenza
the 'ex-Sándor Károlyi'
Violin -
1746
Piacenza
the 'D'Ambrosio'
Violin -
1746
Piacenza
Violin -
1747
Piacenza
Violin -
1747
Piacenza
the 'Antoncich'
Violin -
1747
Piacenza
Violin -
1747
Piacenza
Violin -
1747
Piacenza
Violin -
1747
Piacenza
Violin -
1747
Piacenza
Violin -
c. 1748
Piacenza
the 'Lorand'
Violin -
1748
Piacenza
Violin -
1748
Piacenza
Violin -
1749
Milan
Violin -
1749
Piacenza
the 'Antonijević'
Violin -
1749
Milan
the 'Rauer'
Violin -
1750
Milan
the 'Arma Senkrah'
Violin -
1750
Milan
the 'Jan Kubelik'
Violin -
1750
Milan
the 'Moulton'
Violin -
1750
Milan
Violin -
1750
Milan
the 'ex-Rothschild'
Violin -
1750
Milan
Violin -
1750
Milan
Violin -
1750
Milan
Violin -
1750
Milan
Violin -
1750
Milan
the 'Flusshoh'
Violin -
1750
Milan
Violin -
1750
Milan
Violin -
1750
Milan
Violin -
c. 1750
Milan
Violin -
1751
Milan
the 'Zajic'
Violin -
1751
Milan
the 'Hill'
Violin -
1751
Milan
the 'Brodsky'
Violin -
1751
Milan
the 'Sametini'
Violin -
1751
Milan
Violin -
1751
Milan
Violin -
1752
Milan
the 'Kneisel'
Violin -
1752
Milan
Violin -
1752
Milan
the 'Baron Kohner'
Violin -
1752
Milan
Violin -
1752
Milan
Violin -
1752
Milan
Violin -
1753
Milan
the 'Birkigt'
Violin -
1753
Milan
Violin -
1753
Milan
the 'Skolnik'
Violin -
1753
Milan
Violin -
1753
Milan
the 'Romer'
Violin -
1753
Milan
Violin -
1753
Milan
Violin -
1753
Milan
Violin -
1753
Milan
the 'Brun'
Violin -
1753
Milan
the 'Nebel'
Violin -
1753
Milan
Violin -
c. 1753
Milan
the 'Weinberg'
Violin -
1754
Milan
the 'Ysaÿe'
Violin -
1754
Milan
the 'Petersen, Zazofsky, Posner'
Violin -
1754
Milan
Violin -
1754
Milan
Violin -
1754
Milan
Violin -
1754
Milan
Violin -
1754
Milan
Violin -
1754
Milan
Violin -
1754
Milan
Violin -
1755
Milan
the 'Bailly'
Violin -
1755
Milan
the 'Wollgandt'
Violin -
1755
Milan
the 'Stoessel, Red Diamond'
Violin -
1755
Milan
Violin -
1755
Milan
Violin -
1755
Milan
Violin -
1755
Milan
Violin -
1755
Milan
Violin -
1755
Milan
the 'Weder'
Violin -
1755
Milan
Violin -
1755
Milan
Violin -
1755
Milan
Violin -
1755
Milan
the 'Berkova'
Violin -
1756
Milan
Violin -
1757
Milan
the 'Alma Rosé'
Violin -
1757
Milan
the 'Trechman'
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Violin -
1757
Milan
Violin -
1757
Milan
the 'Herten'
Violin -
1757
Milan
the 'Wirth'
Violin -
1757
Milan
Violin -
1757
Milan
Violin -
1757
Milan
the 'Wahl'
Violin -
1758
Cremona
the 'Vieuxtemps'
Violin -
1758
Milan
the 'Wieniawski'
Violin -
c. 1758
Cremona
the 'Casadesus, Mlle. Flayelle'
Violin -
1758
Milan
the 'Burmester, Adler'
Violin -
1758
Cremona
the 'Briggs'
Violin -
1758
Cremona
the 'Thormann'
Violin -
1758
Cremona
Violin -
1758
Cremona
Violin -
1758
Cremona
Violin -
1758
Cremona
Violin -
1758
Cremona
Violin -
1759
Parma
Violin -
1759
Parma
the 'Scott'
Violin -
1760
Parma
Violin -
1760
Parma
Violin -
1760
Parma
the 'Keller'
Violin -
1760
Parma
the 'Wanamaker, Caressa'
Violin -
1760
Parma
Violin -
1760
Parma
Violin -
1761
Parma
the 'Hart, Wanamaker'
Violin -
1761
Parma
the 'Rabinof'
Violin -
1761
Parma
Violin -
1761
Parma
Violin -
1762
Parma
Violin -
1763
Parma
the 'Lamiraux'
Violin -
1764
Parma
Violin -
c. 1765
Parma
the 'Kingman'
Violin -
1765
Parma
the 'Hamma'
Violin -
1765
Parma
Violin -
1766
Parma
Violin -
1766
Parma
Violin -
1767
Parma
the 'James'
Violin -
1767
Parma
the 'Sennhauser, Joachim'
Violin -
1767
Parma
the 'Wilhelmj, Hottinger, Reynolds'
Violin -
1767
Parma
Violin -
1767
Parma
Violin -
1767
Parma
the 'Chaigneau'
Violin -
1768
Parma
Violin -
1768
Parma
the 'Rylands'
Violin -
1768
Parma
the 'Posner'
Violin -
1768
Parma
the 'Aranyi'
Violin -
1768
Parma
Violin -
1769
Parma
the 'Michell'
Violin -
1769
Parma
Violin -
1769
Parma
the 'Merter'
Violin -
1769
Parma
Violin -
1769
Parma
Violin -
1770
Parma
the 'Vardi'
Violin -
1770
Parma
the 'Wittgenstein'
Violin -
1770
Parma
the 'Brusset'
Violin -
1770
Parma
the 'Caressa'
Violin -
1770
Parma
the 'Millant-Levine'
Violin -
1770
Parma
the 'Dawes, de Long Tearse'
Violin -
1770
Turin
the 'Meinel'
Violin -
1770
Parma
Violin -
1770
Parma
Violin -
c. 1770-80
Turin
Violin -
c. 1771
Turin
Violin -
1771
Parma
the 'Steiner-Schweitzer, Zamustin'
Violin -
c. 1771
Turin
the 'Green'
Violin -
1771
Turin
Violin -
1771
Turin
the 'Accardo'
Violin -
1771
Turin
Violin -
1771
Turin
the 'Baron Hermann'
Violin -
c. 1771
Turin
Violin -
1771
Parma
Violin -
1772
Turin
Violin -
1772
Turin
the 'Wishart, Krasner'
Violin -
1772
Turin
the 'Friedrich, Cores'
Violin -
1772
Turin
Violin -
1772
Turin
the 'Culbertson'
Violin -
1772
Turin
Violin -
1772
Turin
the 'Kaufman'
Violin -
1772
Turin
Violin -
1773
Turin
Violin -
c. 1773
Turin
the 'ex-Sinzheimer'
Violin -
1773
Turin
the 'Morny'
Violin -
1773
Turin
the 'Toedt, Odnopossof, Hart, Auer'
Violin -
1773
Turin
the 'Campoli, Grumiaux'
Violin -
1773
Turin
Violin -
1773
Turin
Violin -
1773
Turin
Violin -
1773
Turin
Violin -
1773
Turin
Violin -
1774
Turin
the 'Beel'
Violin -
1774
Turin
the 'Kochanski'
Violin -
1774
Turin
the 'Blinder'
Violin -
1774
Turin
Violin -
1774
Turin
the 'Salabue, Berta'
Violin -
1774
Turin
Violin -
1774
Turin
Violin -
1774
Turin
the 'Salabue, de Narp'
Violin -
1775
Turin
the 'Partello'
Violin -
1775
Turin
the 'Zimbalist, Kaufman'
Violin -
1775
Turin
Violin -
1775
Turin
the 'Joachim'
Violin -
1775
Turin
the 'Bryant'
Violin -
1775
Turin
the 'Eisenberg'
Violin -
1775
Turin
Violin -
1775
Turin
Violin -
c. 1775
the 'L.A.T.'
Violin -
1776
Turin
the 'Lachmann-Schwechter'
Violin -
1776
Turin
Violin -
1776
Turin
Violin -
c. 1776
Turin
Violin -
1778
Turin
the 'Fulton'
Violin -
1778
Turin
the 'Thistleton'
Violin -
1778
Turin
the 'Hart'
Violin -
1778
Turin
Violin -
1778
Turin
the 'Pochon'
Violin -
1779
Turin
Violin -
1779
Turin
the 'Borgerth'
Violin -
1779
Turin
the 'Serdet'
Violin -
1779
Turin
Violin -
1779
Turin
Violin -
1779
Turin
Violin -
1779
Turin
Violin -
1779
Turin
Violin -
c. 1780
Turin
the 'Dorothy DeLay'
Violin -
1780
Turin
the 'Kochanski'
Violin -
1780
Turin
the 'Velay'
Violin -
1780
Turin
the 'Steiner-Schweitzer'
Violin -
1780
Turin
the 'Humbert'
Violin -
1780
Turin
Violin -
c. 1780-83
Turin
the 'Kosman'
Violin -
c. 1780-90
Turin
the 'Uzes'
Violin -
c. 1780-90
Turin
Violin -
1781
Turin
the 'Kodolvsky'
Violin -
1782
Turin
the 'Salabue, Chapman'
Violin -
1782
Turin
the 'Chardon, Sorkin'
Violin -
1782
Turin
the 'Maucotel'
Violin -
1782
Turin
the 'Betti'
Violin -
1782
Turin
Violin -
1782
Turin
Violin -
1782
Turin
the 'Mosenthal'
Violin -
1783
Turin
the 'Hans Letz, Bakaleinikoff, Maazel'
Violin -
1783
Turin
the 'Busch'
Violin -
1783
Turin
the 'Kleynenberg'
Violin -
1783
Turin
the 'Brisson'
Violin -
1783
Turin
Violin -
1783
Turin
Violin -
1785
Turin
the 'Wilhelmj'
Violin -
1785
Turin
Violin -
1785
Turin
the 'Spagnoletti'
Violin -
1786
Turin
the 'ex Toscha Seidel'
Violin -
1786
Turin
Viola -
1747
Piacenza
Viola -
1747
Piacenza
Viola -
1757
Milan
Viola -
1763
Parma
Viola -
1765
Parma
the 'La Parmigiana'
Viola -
1768
Parma
the 'Vieuxtemps'
Viola -
1770
Turin
Viola -
1774
Turin
Viola -
1775
Turin
the 'Trombetta'
Viola -
1778
Turin
the 'Chavy'
Viola -
1781
Turin
the 'Villa'
Viola -
1783
Turin
Viola -
1784
Turin
the 'Leyds'
Viola -
1784
Turin
Small Violin -
1762
Parma
the 'Thomas'
Cello -
1743
Piacenza
the 'van Zweygberg'
Cello -
1743
Piacenza
the 'von Kohner'
Cello -
1743
Piacenza
the 'Havemeyer'
Cello -
1743
Piacenza
Cello -
1744
Piacenza
the 'Graudan'
Cello -
1744
Piacenza
the 'Lefay'
Cello -
1745
Piacenza
Cello -
1748
Piacenza
the 'Bakaleinikoff, Wanamaker'
Cello -
1749
Piacenza
the 'Hill'
Cello -
1752
Milan
Cello -
1754
Milan
the 'Gerardy'
Cello -
1755
Milan
Cello -
1757
Milan
the 'Teschenmacher'
Cello -
1758
Cremona
Cello -
1759
Parma
Cello -
1760
Parma
the 'Baldner'
Cello -
1760
Parma
Cello -
1762
Parma
Cello -
1765
Parma
Cello -
1772
Turin
the 'Popper'
Cello -
1777
Turin
the 'Simpson'
Cello -
c. 1780-85
Turin
Cello -
1781-4
Turin
Cello -
1783
Turin
the 'Huxham'
