Giovanni Guidanti

Name: Giovanni Guidanti auction price records, Amati Instrument Archive
Creator: Amati

Bologna, 1687–1760

Son of Floriano Guidanti, above. Succeeded to the appointment to the Accademia Filarmonica in 1716. Records of the Accademia show that he was highly valued as a maker and repairer, reflected also in the admiration of G. A. Marchi expressed in his Manoscritto Liutario (Bologna, 1786). In 1730 Guidant\u{2026} — John Dilworth

Worked Bologna

Made Cello, Viola, Violin

Family Son of Floriano Guidanti

Auction price history

Highest auction price

£59,280

Type	Details	Sold	Price
Violin	Labelled Joannes Florenus Guidantus Fecit Bononiae Anno 1749	October 2024	£33,600
Violin	35.4 cm [Attributed to]	March 2010	£4,600
Violin	35.8 cm 18th C. [Attributed to]	October 2009	£7,500
Violin	35.8 cm Bologne, 1730 c. (some restorations)	June 2009	£19,187
Cello	73.8 cm Bologna, 1720 c. [Attributed to]	November 2008	£59,280
Violin	Bologna, 1733 c.	October 2005	£50,914
Violin	1738	March 2002	£18,900
Violin	1737	November 2001	£24,000
Violin	1741	May 1994	£17,806
Violin	1740	April 1991	£5,500
Violin	1730 c.	June 1990	£15,400
Cello	17-- [Labeled]	March 1990	£50,600
Violin	1738	March 1989	£29,700
Violin	1700 c.	June 1988	£17,600
Violin	1740 c.	April 1987	£10,780
Violin	1731	February 1985	£16,500
Viola	41.4 cm 1737	June 1982	£21,600
Violin	1741	June 1981	£4,180
Violin	1730	June 1980	£2,457

Maker Overview

Life

Giovanni Guidanti. Sources contain conflicting information regarding his life dates: Cecie Stainer indicates he was active from about 1685 to 1728, while John Dilworth states he was born in 1687 and died in 1760 in Bologna, Italy. He was the son of Floriano Guidanti. succeeded to the appointment to the Accademia Filarmonica in 1716. Records of the Accademia show that he was highly valued as a maker and repairer, an admiration also expressed by G. A. Marchi in his Manoscritto Liutario (Bologna, 1786). In 1730, Guidanti moved from the old family home in San Mamolo to apartments belonging to the Friars of San Giacomo, which, implied a change of fortune. Willibald Leo Lütgendorff notes that much confusion surrounds this family, exacerbated by the frequent falsification of labels and the mixing of their wording even in old times. He states that because violins are often well-imitated, it is difficult to distinguish genuine from non-genuine instruments. Lütgendorff also mentions that the best connoisseurs now differentiate between father and son, while others consider the otherwise rare first name Guidante to be the family name, a notion that the labels indeed encourage. A viola d'amore, exhibited at Milan in 1881, was ornamented with a beautifully and artistically carved head representing a blindfolded Cupid. A viola da gamba by Guidanti was dated 1728.

Characteristics

Workmanship: Cecie Stainer describes him as an excellent workman, noting that his instruments look well. John Dilworth praises his very fine work, describing it as well proportioned and elegant. However, Cecie Stainer states that the purfling is carelessly done, and George Hart similarly notes the purfling was badly let in. In contrast, John Dilworth describes the purfling as neat, usually made of beechwood. Willibald Leo Lütgendorff notes that the work is sometimes imprecise, but the varnish is always good.
Model: His instruments are on a high model. John Dilworth specifies a Gagliano-like model, broad across the middle bouts.
Sound-holes: Cecie Stainer and George Hart both describe the sound-holes as long.
Corners: John Dilworth notes small corners.
Head: John Dilworth describes a finely cut head with small, very concentric volutes. The viola d'amore exhibited in Milan in 1881 featured a beautifully and artistically carved head representing a blindfolded Cupid.
Varnish: John Dilworth mentions a rich golden-coloured varnish, but quite thinly applied. Willibald Leo Lütgendorff states that the varnish is always good.
Tone: Cecie Stainer notes that the tone is rather poor.
Form: George Hart describes the outer form as inelegant, particularly the middle bouts.

Recorded labels

Joannes Guidantus fecit
Bononiae, anno 1715John Dilworth
Joannes Florenus Guidantus
fecit Bononiae 1731John Dilworth

Influence and legacy

Mentorship: Cecie Stainer suggests that Giovanni Guidanti was possibly a pupil of Nicola Amati. Willibald Leo Lütgendorff notes that the violins attributable to the father (Floriano Guidanti) reveal the school of Amati.
Appointments: succeeded to the appointment to the Accademia Filarmonica in 1716.
Reputation: Records of the Accademia Filarmonica show that he was highly valued as a maker and repairer, a sentiment in his Manoscritto Liutario (Bologna, 1786).

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Biographies

The overview above is drawn from the following published accounts. Read them in the original:

John Dilworth+

GUIDANTI, Giovanni Born 1687, died 1760 Bologna Italy. Son of Floriano Guidanti, above. Succeeded to the appointment to the Accademia Filarmonica in 1716. Records of the Accademia show that he was highly valued as a maker and repairer, reflected also in the admiration of G. A. Marchi expressed in his Manoscritto Liutario (Bologna, 1786). In 1730 Guidanti moved from the old family home in San Mamolo to apartments belonging to the Friars of San Giacomo, implying a change of fortune. Very fine work on a Gagliano-like model, broad across the middle bouts, but well proportioned and elegant. Small corners and neat purfling (usually of beechwood). Finely cut head with small, very concentric volutes. Rich golden-coloured varnish, but quite thinly applied. Joannes Guidantus fecit / Bononiae, anno 1715 Joannes Florenus Guidantus / fecit Bononiae 1731 [Pasqual]

George Hart+

High model ; sound-hole long ; purfling badly let in; the outer form inelegant, particularly the middle bouts. At the Exhibition at Milan, 1881, a Viola d’Amore was exhibited, signed “Joanne Guidantus, fecit Bononiae, anno 1715,” ornamented with a beautiful head artistically carved, representing a blindfolded Cupid.

Cecie Stainer+

A maker in Bologna about 1685 to 1728. Was possibly a pupil of Nicola Amati. He was an excellent workman, his instruments look well, are on a high model, with long sound-holes; but the purfling is carelessly done and the tone is rather poor.
A viola d’amore, exhibited at Milan in 1881, ornamented with a beautiful head, artistically carved, representing a blindfolded Cupid, was labelled: “Joannes Guidantus fecit Bononiae, anno 1715.” Another label was: “Joannes Florenus Guidantus fecit Bononiae, 1724.” A viola da gamba was dated 1728. See “Florenus.”

Willibald Leo Lütgendorff+

Über diese Familie herrscht viel Unklarheit, die dadurch noch vermehrt
wird, dass schon in alten Zeiten die Zettel der einzelnen Mitglieder vielfach
gefälscht, ihr Wortlaut miteinander vermengt wurde. Da auch die Geigen
häufig gut nachgeahmt sind, ist es oft schwer, die echten von den unechten zu
unterscheiden. Die besten Kenner unterscheiden jetzt Vater und Sohn, andere
halten den sonst selten vorkommenden Vornamen Guidante für den Familiennamen,
wozu die Zettel in der That auch verführen. Die Entscheidung könnte
nur getroffen werden, wenn man möglichst viele, zweifellos echte Arbeiten
gleichzeitig miteinander zu vergleichen in der Lage wäre. Die Geigen, die
dem Vater zuzuschreiben waren, verrathen die Schule Amati’s, die Arbeit ist
manchmal ungenau, der Lack aber immer gut. Wenn man nicht annehmen
will, dass er ein Alter von etwa 90 Jahren erreicht hat und Geigen mit seinem
Namen und der Jahreszahl 1750 etc. für echt hält, so muss er ausser seinem
Sohne Guidante noch einen mit ihm gleichnamigen Nachkommen gehabt haben,
von diesem würde die Geige im Museum Kraus in Florenz herstammen. Auch
nach rückwärts findet man unmögliche Jahreszahlen angegeben, so wurde 1898
in Köln eine Basslaute mit dem Zettel: Joannes Florenus 1590 in Cremona versteigert. Die Jahreszahl dürfte richtig gelesen 1690 geheissen haben, wie auch Cremona für Bononiæ gelesen wurde.