Felice Tononi

History

Felice Tononi, born circa 1670 and deceased after 1735, was a luthier primarily active in Bologna, Italy. Sources contain conflicting information regarding his family relationships and working locations. According to Cecie Stainer and Karel Jalovec, Felice Tononi worked in association with his son, Giovanni Tononi, around 1670-1690 and 1670-1710 respectively. However, John Dilworth states that Felice was the son of Giovanni Tononi and the brother of Carlo Tononi, and was the chief beneficiary of Carlo's will written in Venice in 1730. Karel Jalovec also suggests that Felice Tononi worked in Rome, a claim that Willibald Leo Lütgendorff states is unproven (nicht erwiesen).

Craft

• Workmanship: Instruments are described as carefully finished, well made, and of solid workmanship.
• Model: They often feature a high-arched model and are described as Amatisé, following the patterns of Amati and Stainer.
• Varnish: The varnish is consistently noted as beautiful, soft, and of a yellow, light yellow, or yellow-brown colour.
• Purfling: Karel Jalovec specifically notes that the purfling is finished in a very delicate manner.
• Tone: The instruments are known for their fine and excellent tone, with their violoncellos being particularly outstanding and having a great reputation in Italy.

Influence

• Stylistic Influence: Felice Tononi's work shows influence from the patterns of both Amati and Stainer, producing what are described as Amatisé cellos.

Legacy

• Reputation: The violoncellos produced by Felice Tononi and his associate (Giovanni) held a great reputation in Italy.

Further Information

• Working Location: Felice Tononi was primarily active in Bologna.
• Labels: Examples of his labels include "Tononi di Bologna fecit, anno 1670" and "Tononi di Bologna fece, anno 168—".
• Pricing: Karel Jalovec noted historical prices for his instruments ranging from 30,000 to 50,000 Kc, with 'cellos commanding higher prices.

Summary

Felice Tononi was a notable luthier from Bologna, active from approximately 1670 to after 1735. He is recognized for producing beautiful instruments, particularly violoncellos, which were highly regarded in Italy for their fine tone and careful workmanship. His instruments often feature a high-arched model, influenced by Amati and Stainer, and are characterized by a distinctive yellow or yellow-brown varnish. Sources present conflicting accounts regarding his relationship with Giovanni Tononi and whether he also worked in Rome.