Marengo Romano RINALDI

John Dilworth

MARENGO-RINALDI, Romano Born 1866 Alba, died 1926 Turin Italy. Born Romano Giuseppe Secundo Marengo. Trained as a woodcarver. Pupil of E. Marchetti in Turin. Took over the shop of B. Gioffredo-Rinaldi 1888, and from 1890 acquired the rights to the name Rinaldi, Rinaldi’s widow Paola being still active in the business. The shop thereafter known as Marengo-Rinaldi. After Paola’s death in 1905, Marengo seems to have reverted to his own name. A businessman and entrepreneur rather than a practical maker, it is not clear how much of his own labelled work is his own or that of employed or outside agents. Oddone, Guerra and Fagnola were almost certainly contributors as was his son Edoardo Vittorio. Medals awarded in Turin 1898 and 1911, Paris 1900, and Rome 1918. His best work is of very fine quality, on a disciplined Stradivari model with fine clear golden-orange varnish. Other examples show rather coarser workmanship. Marengo Romano-Rinaldi / di Alba, fece in Torino Anno 1900 [Blot IV]