A Violin Attributed to Italian Maker, Giuseppe Grossi, Circa 1804

Giuseppe Grossi was an Italian violin maker in Bologna, considered active from 1792-1812. There is a dearth of records regarding the details of his life and craftsmanship save for sparse and sometimes unfortunate morsels such as the following footnote from Henley: “Perhaps not wholly of mediocre design, but certainly semi-careless workmanship. Scroll a little botched, and varnish not of a healthy clear complexion..” A listed maker, nonetheless, though treated with a heavy hand.

Grossi’s work is rare and difficult to discern the authenticity of, but this interesting violin ascribed to and probably by his hand in 1804 could be the very violin Henley considered. It is characterful, but not in the way that any discernible tooling or hallmarks could be gleaned from. Some over-varnish from when the re-angling of the neck was executed and wear to the edgework, but otherwise in a good state of preservation for its age. Charming and unbothered, an unconventionally attractive violin with a powerful voice as characterful as the aesthetic of its appearance.