The maker of this violin, Francesco Guadagnini, was one of the last makers in the great Guadagnini family who boasted their existence in violin making in Italy and Piemonte for three centuries. His son, Paolo, was one of them, too.
He was born on the 27th of July in 1863 to Antonio Berthelo and Luigia Berthelo. When he was 18 years old, his father passed away, and Francesco succeeded to the atelier on Po Street 22, left by his father, with help from his mother at first and later from his elder brother Guiseppe.
At the earliest stage of his career, he spent most of his working time in dealing instruments, but before long, he came to be interested in making instruments of his own. The last apprentice of his father’s, Enrico Marchetti, can be said to have contributed most in driving Francesco’s interest into violin making.
In 1884, Francesco and his brother participatedin Turin International Exposition under the name of “the Guadagnini Brothers” and received a silver medal.
That was the foothold of his following outstanding achievements in many important competitions.
Everthing seemed to go well around him, but misfortunes were waiting for him in his later years.
They were his son Paolo’s too early death and burning down of his own atelier under an air raid.
He spent his later years on Valeggio Street 24 in Turin and passed away on the 15th of December in 1948.

Francesco produced the top ranked instruments over the change from a century to a century, probably thanks to the inspiring environment for creation brought about by young colleagues: Oddone, Fagnola　and Guerra. His instrument model was inspired by his ancestor G. B. Guadagnini and arranged for the taste of those days. His instruments have clear-cut symmetry lines and rather right-angles at corners. The whole outlook reminds us of G. B. guadagnini, and its sound is brilliant and vigorous.