"The sharpest eye in the business for an instrument's worth and provenance"
This is an outstanding example of Guadagnini's late Turin period. It was in Turin that Guadagnini came into contact with Count Cozio. Through this contact he became very familiar with the work of Stradivari and his own output became even more imbued with Stradivari's influence. In fact, during the years before his death in 1786, he actively promoted the myth that he was born in Cremona, and his labels stated that he had been a pupil of Stradivari. This instrument from 1784 was bought from Hill's in 1886 and was first consigned to Beare's for sale by that purchaser's grand-daughter. Beare's sold it to an eminent player and professor who ultimately reconsigned it for sale in 2009. Beare's sold it again in 2010 to an eminent philanthropist.