Luigi Fabris

Life

Luigi Fabris (1809-1889) was born in 1809 and died in 1889 in Venice, Italy. He was a member of a well-known musical family in Venice, as documented by John Dilworth in The Brompton's Book of Violin & Bow Makers. Fabris resided from 1831 to 1841 at 879 Calle San Giovanni and spent the rest of his life at 1019 Campiello delle Stroppe. By approximately 1850, economic pressures necessitated his employment with Giuseppe Camploy, a general retailer of musical instruments and an avid collector. In 1856, he began marketing an instrument varnish, likely of his own formulation, designed to penetrate wood fibers and enhance acoustic properties. By 1870, Fabris had returned to full-time violin making, and many of his finest instruments originate from this period. He was awarded a silver medal at the Treviso Exposition in 1872.

Characteristics

Models

Fabris crafted instruments based on Stradivari or Guarneri models.

Workmanship

His workmanship is described as rugged rather than refined.

Purfling

Instruments feature extremely broad purfling.

Varnish

He used a very fine, well-textured red-brown varnish. Willibald Leo Lütgendorff noted that his red varnish was not bad, and John Dilworth mentioned his marketing of a varnish designed to penetrate wood fibers and enhance acoustic properties.

Wood Selection

Fabris often utilized bird's eye maple, which is not commonly found in Italian work, and fairly coarse pine for the tables.

Instrument Types

His cellos are considered very desirable, and viole d'amore are also extant.

Repair Work

demonstrated great care when repairing old violins.

Influence and legacy

• Training: Luigi Fabris was probably trained by Novello or Indri, who were the last remaining luthiers practicing in Venice at that time.
• Awards: Fabris was awarded a silver medal at the Treviso Exposition in 1872.
• Desirability: His cellos are considered very desirable.