Tarisio presents the last will and testament of Antonio Paganini

Tarisio is pleased to present for auction the original last will and testament of Antonio Paganini, father of the violin virtuoso Nicolò.

This important document came to Tarisio during a recent evaluation day and the owner of the document was largely unaware of its significance. This beautifully hand-written eight-page document has since been confirmed as the complete and final version of this Italian nobleman’s will.

Antonio, son of Gianni Battista Paganini, made his living as an ‘imballatore’ or dockworker, but was also an amateur mandolin and violin player and was responsible for Nicolò’s early musical training. His will exists in its fullest version, signed and dated Tuesday 1st April 1817. It was notarised by Francesco Maria Pizzorno in Antonio’s home, “Casa Cattaneo”, in Genoa in via del Dragone, where a top-floor bedroom with two windows and a view over the rooftops housed the dying man. The document provides for Antonio’s wife Teresa (née Bocciardo) and his daughters and the handling of funeral expenses, gratitude and praise to various local hospitals and the Virgin Mary and specifies that of the remainder of the estate two thirds should go to his son Nicolò and one third to his other son Carlo. A paraphrased copy of this document which was not compiled in Antonio’s presence also appears in the Archivio di Stato, Genova.

Original documents of this type are rarely found in commercial circulation and this sale offers a unique opportunity to acquire a relic connected to one of musical history’s most important figures, “the devil’s violinist”.