Giuseppe Scarampella

History

Giuseppe SCARAMPELLA (1838-1904) was born on August 25, 1838, in Brescia, Italy, the son of Paolo Scarampella.

Sources contain conflicting information regarding his death date and location: John Dilworth states he died in 1904 in Varese, Italy, while Karel Jalovec indicates he died in Florence in 1885.

After a period in Paris, he settled in Florence, where he worked for Luigi Castellani starting in 1866, succeeding him as curator of the Cherubini Museum, or Keeper of the collection of instruments at the Istituto Musicale of Florence, in 1884, according to Cecie Stainer.

Craft

• Models: Giuseppe Scarampella was a highly regarded maker of Stradivari and Guarneri modelled instruments, often with a distinctly personal interpretation, as noted by John Dilworth. He also created instruments based on his own original patterns, according to Willibald Leo Lütgendorff.
• Workmanship: His instruments show careful and accurate workmanship, with a clear and strong tone, as described by Cecie Stainer. John Dilworth observes that his work was inclined to overall heaviness, sometimes with the arching a little over-full and little relief at the edges. The scroll was often flat carved and somewhat bulky, yet complemented the overall style of the instruments.
• Materials: He utilized good materials, frequently making use of local maple.
• Varnish: Scarampella applied a fine dark red or golden varnish, also described as red or reddish-coloured oil varnish by various sources.
• Branding & Labels: Internally, his instruments were branded 'Giuseppe Scarampella', and externally below the back button, 'Firenze'. Printed labels read 'Giuseppe Scarampella / fece in Firenze, anno 1889' or 'Giuseppe Scarampella fece in Firenze anno 188—'.
• Reproductions: John Dilworth notes that his work is commonly reproduced and sold fraudulently.

Influence

• Mentorship: Giuseppe Scarampella was a pupil of Nicola Bianchi. Sources offer conflicting locations for Bianchi's teaching: John Dilworth and Cecie Stainer state Bianchi was in Paris, while Karel Jalovec, Henri Poidras, and Willibald Leo Lütgendorff indicate Bianchi was from Genoa.
• Collaboration: He worked with Luigi Castellani in Florence, who highly regarded his ability and entrusted him with significant repair work on old instruments.

Legacy

• Curatorship: He succeeded Luigi Castellani as curator of the Cherubini Museum, or Keeper of the collection of instruments at the Istituto Musicale of Florence, in 1884.
• Restoration: He restored the viola and the famous violoncello by Stradivari, which are kept in the Istituto Musicale of Florence.
• Reputation: His instruments are much sought after for their tone qualities, according to Henri Poidras, and Cecie Stainer predicted their value would increase with time. Willibald Leo Lütgendorff notes that De Piccolellis considered him the best living repairer.

Further Information

• Workshop Locations: Giuseppe Scarampella worked in Florence from 1866 onwards.