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Little is known of the history of this superb Guadagnini, apart from the fact that it was once in the collection of the leading Paris dealer Emile Francais, who almost certainly acquired it from an old French family.

Guadagnini went to Piacenza as an apprentice and was soon in contact with many of the leading musicians of the day. In the decade or so that he spent there, he became the bestknown violin-maker in that part of Italy, and this glorious violin is certainly testament to his skills. Beare's sold this fine-sounding violin in 2010 to an eminent philanthropist.