A very fine violin by Pietro Giovanni Guarneri, dated 1673

Our firm is delighted to offer for sale a very fine Cremonese Italian violin bearing a rather unique original label of Andreas Guarneri, dated 1673. The author of this treatise did in fact discover it on eBay, believe it or not. Miracles do happen! Note: The montage of labels depict facsimiles very close to the original one still glued to the inside of the back. The highly observant connoisseur should be able to discern some unusual orthographic anomalies regarding the maker's use of certain letters in order to compose the spelling of name the of city, ''Cremonae''. This exceedingly rare violin masterpiece is the unmistakable handiwork of Pietro Giovanni Guarneri, before departing his native city in favor of nearby Mantua. (Married in 1677, his name figures for the last time in his father's census returns in 1679.) The violin is without question one of the finest examples by this master, that is known to us. The head profiles clearly exhibit tool marks, which are one of the most easily identifiable characteristic traits of Andreas Guarneri, and all other members of the immediate family. However, the narrow widths of the bouts, more elegant, sharply carved sound holes, and long slender points reveal the youthful vigor of Andreas' eldest son, who would have been only 18 years old at the time. This then proves beyond all doubt that Pietro Giovanni Guarneri was already a fully accomplished violin maker! The varnish is of a reddish brown color, which has been retouched to the front, only. The length of the back is 357 mm, typical of this master's work throughout his limited but illustrious career. The original tail saddle is absent. Otherwise, this violin is in an excellent state of preservation, without a crack to be found anywhere. This finely crafted instrument was formerly in the John H. Rockwell & Son collection, a highly regarded violin making and restoration firm in Providence, Rhode Island during the 19th century. The next montage depicts our violin beside a 1701 Pietro Guarneri of Mantua, which can only be the identical twin to ours, except that the figure of the back is inverted.
The last montage portrays (right side) a violin, still bearing it's undisturbed original label, which was inappropriately sold as a "ca. 1770 Peter Giovanni Mantegazza" through Brompton's Auction, in London, believe it or not. The instrument was actually made by Pietro Giovanni Guarneri, in Cremona, and is in fact dated 1677.