Enrico Rocca
Violin maker
(1847 – 1915)
Enrico Rocca was born in Turin and moved with his family to Genoa as a young child. He studied with his father Giuseppe, who died in 1865 when Enrico was just 17. Enrico's early violin models are nearly identical to Giuseppe’s final Stradivari model, that of the ‘Messiah’. He also finished some of his father’s instruments following the latter’s death, but struggled to establish himself as a maker, instead working as a carpenter and day laborer in Genoa's shipyards. He finally returned to violin making some 15 years later, opening his own workshop in 1880 and at first concentrating on plucked strings. His output of violin family instruments increased during the 1890s.
Stylistically his work is not dissimilar to that of his direct Genoese contemporary Eugenio Praga, and it seems likely that the two exchanged ideas, although Rocca was the more accomplished maker and his approach is especially spontaneous and direct.
Price History
- The auction record for this maker is $221,431 in Oct 2018, for a violin.
- 53 auction price results.
View all auction prices for Enrico Rocca
Rocca family tree
Instruments
Violin -
1866
Genoa
Violin -
1890
Genoa
Violin -
1893
Genoa
Violin -
1893
Genoa
Violin -
1894
Genoa