Tononi

The Tononi were a family of Italian luthiers active in northern Italy during the first half of the eighteenth century. Giovanni Tononi, documented in Bologna until his death in 1713, worked in a city with a great demand for violins. He took the work of the Amatis as his model and, although his f-holes are long and elegant, his scrolls are roughly carved. His varnish, a brilliant orange-red, and the tonal quality of his instruments are generally excellent.

His son Carlo Tononi, who died after 8 March 1730, was the most distinguished member of the family. His instruments, or those made under his direction, are closely related to those of his father but show improvements. The scarcity of dated original labels makes it difficult to trace his development, and it is probable that several craftsmen took part in production. Numerous violins survive, along with a few cellos and quite a number of violas, all inspired by Amati's contralto viola of 1615.

Carlo moved to Venice, probably between 1715 and 1720. The violins he labelled there in the 1720s differ in character from the Bolognese ones. His exact role in construction is uncertain: he seems to have had assistance, though not clearly from his fellow Venetian makers. He introduced a harder and less attractive varnish, and some of his violins are excellent concert instruments.