Bearing the label "Laurentius Bellafontana fecit Genuae Anno Domini 1943," this violin is the work of Lorenzo (Laurentius) Bellafontana (1906–1979), a distinguished member of the Genoese school and a pupil of Oreste Candi. The Latin label translates to "Laurentius Bellafontana made [this] in Genoa in the year of Our Lord 1943" and includes his characteristic LBG monogram and handwritten signature. Bellafontana's violins are admired for their refined craftsmanship, warm Italian tone, elegant design, responsive playability, and rich orange-red varnish, making them highly regarded examples of 20th-century Italian violin making.
Bearing the label "Laurentius Bellafontana fecit Genuae Anno Domini 1943," this violin is attributed to Lorenzo (Laurentius) Bellafontana (1906–1979), one of the leading luthiers of the 20th-century Genoese school of violin making. A pupil of the renowned Oreste Candi, Bellafontana established his own workshop in Genoa in 1935 and later earned the distinction of serving as curator of Niccolò Paganini's famous Il Cannone violin. The label, written in traditional Latin, reads "Laurentius Bellafontana made [this] in Genoa in the year of Our Lord 1943" and features his characteristic LBG monogram and handwritten signature.
Bellafontana's violins are celebrated for their refined craftsmanship, elegant proportions, warm Italian tonal character, and excellent balance across all four strings. Finished with a rich orange-red varnish over a golden ground, his instruments are admired for their responsive playability, clear projection, and expressive sound. Today, Bellafontana's work remains highly regarded by musicians and collectors as a fine representation of the enduring traditions of Italian violin making.
Check out this Copy of Giuseppe Fiorini violin 1926. Giuseppe Fiorini an Italian luthier, the son and student of Raffaele Fiorini who established the "Rieger and Fiorini" violin-making firm in Munich. A passionate teacher, donating materials and relics to the Municipality of Cremona in order to establish a violin-making school there.
We have here a Lillo Salerno Italian violin made in 2019. Lillo Salerno is an Italian luthier born in Sicily, Italy. He went to Cremona Violin Making School then finished his studies in Mittenwald School of Violin Making in Germany in 2005.
Instrument - Violin
Model- Personalized Stradivari
Top - Italian spruce in two pieces
Back - Balkan maple in two pieces
Scroll - From the same wood as the back
Varnish - Oil and amber with a yellow background, red-brown violin.
Notes - The instrument was made with an antique and shows a black bevel on the scroll and points of the bouts.
We have here a Labelled Amedee Dieudonne violin made around 1946 in Mirecourt, France. Amedee Dieudonne is a French luthier who specialized in copying Cremona Masters and was able to achieve a superior varnishing technique.
Check out the Italian Copy of Geovanni Schwarz violin made about 1920. Geovanni Schwarz was born in 1865 in Padua, Italy who by the influence and tutelage of his uncle Eugenio Degani honed his skills, established his own workshop, and won a gold medal in 1916 in Rome Italy.
The Rainer W. Leonhardt 2025 "November Bird" Violin is a handcrafted master violin made in Mittenwald, Germany, featuring a stunning one-piece bird's-eye maple back, a two-piece European spruce top, and a beautifully antiqued dark brown spirit varnish. Built from carefully selected tonewoods and crafted with traditional German craftsmanship, it delivers a warm, responsive tone with excellent projection.
Rainer W. Leonhardt is a fourth-generation master violin maker whose family workshop has been producing fine string instruments since 1926. Based in the historic violin-making town of Mittenwald, Germany, Leonhardt is renowned for combining traditional craftsmanship with exceptional tonal quality, creating instruments that are appreciated by musicians around the world.
Introducing the Roberto Cavagnoli Violin 2017. Roberto Cavagnoli received many awards including the Silver Medal for tone quality from the Violin Society of America in 2004 and the third prize at the 11th International Competition ‘Triennale’ in Cremona for sound quality.
Check out this Violin Made in Germany Mittenwald dated around 1920. This is one of Animato Strings' largest selections of new and old instruments in Australia including Asian-handcrafted instruments, new European instruments, and a wide range of antique stringed instruments.
