Nicola Bergonzi

Type	Details	Sold	Price
Violin	1780 c. (replaced scroll)	Wed 1st October 2003	£58,705

John Dilworth

BERGONZI, Nicola Born 1754, died 1832 Cremona Italy. Eldest son of Zosimo Bergonzi, below. Earliest known work dated 1777, but probably active earlier. It is not clear from whom he learned, as his father Zosimo was barely active as a luthier. Nicola was more motivated, however, and from fairly crude beginnings mastered a clean style of work, well proportioned and neatly finished, if a little stiff in outline, heavy, and lacking the fine varnish of earlier Cremonese makers. He was certainly highly influential in the work of Storioni, who was his close neighbour. The two may in fact have been partners and collaborators in the last decades of the 18th century. He seems to have retired from violin making in 1796 and was registered in Cremona as a cloth merchant in 1804. His labelled work is rare, and includes small sized children’s violins, some violas, and double basses, but, as far as is known, no cellos. Nicolaus Bergonzi / Cremonensis faciebat / Anno 17.. [Gindin]

George Hart

Son of [Michel Angelo Bergonzi]. He made a great number of Violins of similar form to those of his father. The wood which he selected was of a close nature and hard appearance. The varnish is not equal to that of Carlo; it is thin and cold-looking. The workmanship is very good, being often highly finished; but yet wanting in character. The scroll is cramped, and scarcely of the Cremonese type. Lancetti mentions a Tenor by this maker, dated 1781. In the correspondence which passed between the grandson of Antonio Stradivari and the agents of Count Cozio (which is given in these pages), reference is made to some of the moulds of the great maker being in the keeping of — Bergonzi, they having been lent to him, the writer saying that he would obtain them and put them with the other patterns, which appears to have been done; These moulds were doubtless lent to Michel Angelo Bergonzi, and were used by Niccolo as well as his father, and accounts for the form of their instruments being varied.

Cecie Stainer

Eldest son of Michel Angelo. Worked in Cremona about 1755-82. His instruments show a great falling off; made on a similar model to that of his father; his work is often highly finished but is wanting in character; the scroll is cramped, the wood often too close-grained, the varnish poor and thin.
He made a great number of violins.

Willibald Leo Lütgendorff

Ältester Sohn von Michel Angiolo B., der das väterliche Geschäft übernahm
und fortsetzte. Er baute viele Instrumente,
die im Patron denen seines Vaters
ähnlich sind, ihnen aber im Ton und in
der Arbeit sehr nachstehen. Der Lack
ist dünn und hat wenig Feuer, das Holz
nicht gut gewählt und die Schnecke unschön.

£58,705

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John Dilworth

George Hart

Cecie Stainer

Willibald Leo Lütgendorff

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