Leandro (I) Bisiach
Milan, 1864–1946
Highly regarded maker of the modern Italian school. First introduced to the craft by Romeo and Riccardo Antoniazzi in Milan c.1886. Established independently there 1890. — John Dilworth
Auction Price History
Highest auction price
99 results
| Type | Details | Auction house | Sold | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violin | Lot 247 | Bonhams | August 2026 | £52,500 |
| Violin | Lot 59 | Bonhams | August 2026 | £46,850 |
| Violin | Labelled Jo. Bapt. Guadagnini Cremonesis alumnus Antonii Stradivari fecit Taurini 1783 Lot 117 | Tarisio | October 2025 | £41,300est. £ 40,000-60,000 |
| Violin | Labelled Joannes Baptista Guadagnini Cremonensis fecit Taurini alumnus Antoni Stradivari 177 Lot 213 | Ingles & H. | January 2025 | £48,000est. £ 35,000-50,000 |
| Violino d'Amore | Illustrated in "The Modern Italian Violin Makers" by Dmitry Gindin, p. 45; labelled Leandro Bisiach ... Lot 77 | Tarisio | January 2025 | £11,400est. £ 10,000-15,000 |
| Violin | Labelled Jo. Bapt. Guadagnini Cremonesis alumnus Antonii Stradivari fecit Taurini 1783 Leandro ... Lot 196 | Tarisio | January 2024 | £46,346est. $ 50,000-80,000 |
| Violin | After Guadagnini, labelled Joannes Baptista Guadagnini fecit Parmae serviens C.S.R. 1760 Lot 330 | Ingles & Hayday | March 2023 | £57,600est. £ 40,000-60,000 |
| Violin | Labelled Jo. Bapt. Guadagnini Cremonensis alumnus Antonii Stradivari fecit Taurini 1783 Leandro ... Lot 117 | Tarisio | March 2023 | £49,732est. $ 50,000-80,000 |
| Violin | Labelled Al Celebre Violinista Franz von Vecsey, Copia Stradivari fatta da Leandro Bisiach, Milano 7 ... Lot 198 | Ingles & Hayday | November 2022 | £54,000est. £ 40,000-60,000 |
| Violin | Labelled Copia Stradivari Amatise, Leandro Bisiach da Milano, fece l'anno 1909, signed Lot 26 | Tarisio | October 2022 | £59,000est. £ 50,000-80,000 |
| Labelled Leandro Bisiach Jr. da Milano fece l'anno 1975, signed to the label Lot 54 | — | November 2020 | £17,820est. $ 20,000-30,000 | |
| Violin | Violin, 1907 Lot 130 | Skinners | November 2018 | £37,895est. $ 40,000-60,000 |
| Violin | Russell Crowe collection, used as the character Captain Jack Aubrey in the film Master and Commander Lot 31 | Sotheby's | April 2018 | £90,119est. AU$ 110-140,000 |
| Violin | Labelled Copia Stradivari Amatise, Leandro Bisiach da Milano, fece l'anno 1909, signed Lot 186 | Tarisio | October 2017 | £47,200est. £ 40,000-60,000 |
| Viola d'amore | Labelled Violino d'amore Brevettato, Leandro Bisiach Milano, Fece l'Anno 1904 Lot 131 | Tarisio | May 2017 | £8,184est. $ 12,000-18,000 |
| Violin | After Nicolò Amati, labelled Copia Nicholas Amati Leandro Bisiach da Milano fece l'anno 1897 Lot 78 | Brompton’s | March 2015 | £22,140est. £ 18,000-25,000 |
| Violin | Made in collaboration with his son Andrea, bearing the Leandro's label and the Andrea's signature Lot 170 | Vichy | December 2014 | £35,787est. € 35.000-40.000 |
| Violin | Labelled with signature Leandro Bisiach da Milano Fece l'Anno 1920 Lot 120 | Ingles & Hayday | October 2014 | £30,000est. £ 20,000-30,000 |
| Violin | After Del Gesù, bearing an original label dated 1895, signed on the label by the maker Lot 266 | Brompton’s | October 2014 | £60,000est. £ 50,000-70,000 |
| Violin | Handsome wood of narrow curl, skiful work, of an orange brown colour Lot 247 | Bonhams | October 2014 | £52,500est. £ 25,000-35,000 |
| Violin | Bearing the maker's label Lot 32 | Skinners | November 2013 | £18,237est. $ 30,000-40,000 |
| Violin | Labelled Leandro Bisiach della scuola Cremonese in Milano 1897 Piazza del Duomo Lot 51 | Brompton’s | October 2013 | £43,200est. £ 30,000-40,000 |
| Violin | Illustrated in 3D-Fotos Alter Meistergeigen by H. Neugebauer & G. Windischbauer, p. 57; good state Lot 48 | Bonhams | October 2013 | £42,500est. £ 30,000-40,000 |
| Violin | Violin, 1900 Lot 59 | Bonhams | May 2013 | £46,850est. £ 40,000-50,000 |
| Violin | Signed internally on the upper back Lot 61 | Brompton’s | December 2012 | £38,400est. £ 30,000-40,000 |
| Viola d'amore | Labelled Violina d'amore, Brevettato Leandro Bisiach, Milano, fece l'anno 1904 Lot 46 | Tarisio | November 2012 | £9,737est. $ 10,000-15,000 |
| Violin | Labelled Leandro Bisiach, Milano 1898 Lot 153 | Tarisio | March 2012 | £45,000est. £ 25,000-40,000 |
| Violin | 35.6 cm Milan, 1900 | — | January 2011 | £44,385 |
| Cello | 75.7 cm 20th C. Attributed to | — | January 2011 | £17,292 |
| Violin | 35.4 cm Milan, 1897 | — | January 2011 | £36,000 |
| Violin | 35.6 cm Milan, 1935 c. | — | January 2011 | £26,400 |
| Violin | 35.6 cm Milan, 1910 | — | January 2011 | £43,200 |
| Cello | 75.2 cm Milan, 1927 | — | January 2010 | £60,000 |
| Violin | 35.4 cm Milan, 1919 | — | January 2010 | £39,600 |
| Violin | 35.2 cm 1900 c. Attributed to | — | January 2010 | £7,500 |
| Violin | 35.9 cm Milan, 1962 Workshop of | — | January 2010 | £2,992 |
| Violin | 35.6 cm Milan, 1899 after "Ruggieri" | — | January 2010 | £24,000 |
| Violin | 36.0 cm Milan, 1896 | — | January 2010 | £43,200 |
| Violin | 35.6 cm Milan, 1900 | — | January 2009 | £33,366 |
| Violin | 35.5 cm Milan, 1900 c. | — | January 2009 | £26,216 |
| Violin | 35.6 cm Milan, 1910 | — | January 2009 | £42,000 |
| Violin | 35.6 cm Milan, 1919 | — | January 2009 | £34,850 |
| Violin | 35.5 cm Milan, 1922 | — | January 2008 | £27,172 |
| Violin | 35.8 cm Attributed to | — | January 2008 | £4,800 |
| Violin | 35.6 cm Milan, 1895 | — | January 2008 | £59,220 |
| Violin | 35.6 cm Milan, 1895 c. Workshop of | — | January 2008 | £23,947 |
| Violin | 35.5 cm Milan, 1922 | — | January 2008 | £23,300 |
| Violin | 35.4 cm Milan, 1920 c. | — | January 2007 | £10,000 |
| Violin | 35.6 cm Milan, 1958 c. Workshop and probably by "Leandro Jr." | — | January 2007 | £14,402 |
| Violin | 35.5 cm Milan, 1960 c. Workshop of | — | January 2007 | £5,761 |
| Violin | 35.6 cm Milan, 1914 c. | — | January 2007 | £17,085 |
| Violin | 35.5 cm Attributed to | — | January 2007 | £9,200 |
| Violin | 35.5 cm Milan, 1920 c. After Guadagnini Workshop of | — | January 2007 | £18,000 |
| Violin | 35.6 cm Milan, 1912 | — | January 2006 | £31,577 |
| Violin | 35.7 cm Milan, 1942 Workshop of | — | January 2006 | £5,400 |
| Violin | 35.3 cm Milan, 1921 | — | January 2006 | £25,875 |
| Violin | 35.4 cm Mid-20th C . Attributed to | — | January 2006 | £4,200 |
| Violin | 35.5 cm Milan, 1920 c. Workshop of | — | January 2006 | £26,400 |
| Violin | 35.6 cm Milan, 1920 c. | — | January 2006 | £33,724 |
| Violin | 35.3 cm 1890 c. Workshop of | — | January 2006 | £17,071 |
| Viola | 42.4 cm Milan, 1960 c. | — | January 2005 | £10,264 |
| Violin | Milan, 1900 c. | — | January 2005 | £12,000 |
| Violin | Milan, 1895 c. | — | January 2005 | £19,703 |
| Violin | Milan, 1897 | — | January 2005 | £35,850 |
| Violin | 1900 c. | — | January 2004 | £8,270 |
| Violin | 1918 c. Attributed to & possibly by | — | January 2004 | £6,998 |
| Violin | Milan 1899 Workshop | — | January 2004 | £3,984 |
| Violin | Milan, 1937 Workshop | — | January 2004 | £17,929 |
| Violin | — | January 2004 | £15,251 | |
| Violin | — | January 2004 | £7,957 | |
| Violin | 1907 | — | January 2004 | £23,208 |
| Violin | Milan, 1937 | — | January 2004 | £13,464 |
| Violin | 20th C. Workshop | — | January 2004 | £5,386 |
| Violin | 1925 | — | January 2003 | £20,400 |
| Violin | 1895 | — | January 2003 | £33,925 |
| Violin | 1940 | — | January 2003 | £10,178 |
| Violin | 1910 | — | January 2003 | £27,600 |
| Violin | 1890 | — | January 2002 | £19,400 |
| Violin | 1898 | — | January 2001 | £23,936 |
| Violin | 1910 | — | January 2001 | £23,404 |
| Violin | 1928 | — | January 2001 | £14,823 |
| Violin | 1942 | — | January 2001 | £12,867 |
| Violin | 1912 | — | January 2000 | £23,500 |
| Violin | 1920 | — | January 2000 | £17,250 |
| Violin | 1910 | — | January 2000 | £33,367 |
| Violin | 1919 | — | January 2000 | £25,667 |
| Violin | 1910 | — | January 1999 | £25,300 |
| Violin | 1895 | — | January 1998 | £21,850 |
| Violin | 1896 | — | January 1998 | £16,100 |
| Violin | 1895 | — | January 1996 | £14,950 |
| Violin | 1900 c. | — | January 1995 | £20,700 |
| Violin | 1900 | — | January 1994 | £20,641 |
| Violin | 1899 | — | January 1994 | £28,750 |
| Violin | 1900-20 | — | January 1993 | £28,750 |
| Violin | 1910 | — | January 1993 | £10,350 |
| Violin | 1897 | — | January 1992 | £13,200 |
| Violin | 1898 | — | January 1991 | £19,800 |
| Viola | 41.0 cm 1939 | — | January 1987 | £6,050 |
| Cello | 1910 | — | January 1983 | £6,820 |
No results match those filters.
Maker Overview
Life
Leandro Giuseppe (I) Bisiach (1864-1946) was born in 1864 in Casale Monferrato and passed away in 1946 in Venegono Superiore, Italy. He is highly regarded as a maker of the modern Italian school. He was first introduced to the craft by Romeo and Riccardo Antoniazzi in Milan around 1886, establishing himself independently there in 1890. Between 1918 and 1922, he served as a curator at the Academia Chigiana Conservatoire in Siena, but subsequently settled permanently in Milan. In his later period, he was assisted by his sons Giacomo, Leandro (II), and Andrea. He retired to Venegano, Varese, around 1932, where he continued to practice as an expert connoisseur, dealer, and repairer until his death.
Characteristics
- Production
- His workshops produced replicas of old instruments with shaded varnish, as well as many new instruments with a fresh appearance, based on numerous classical models.
- Style
- His early work was significantly influenced by Antoniazzi, featuring a distinctively eccentric volute to the scroll, while his later output was quite diverse.
- Varnish
- He successfully utilized a varnish said to be of genuine Stradivari origin, known as the '1704' recipe.
- Prolificacy
- Bisiach was a prolific maker; quartets of his instruments are held in the collections of the Castello Sforzesco in Milan and the Accademia Chigiana in Siena.
- Workshop Standards
- insisted that only instruments entirely crafted in his workshop would bear his name.
- Leandro Bisiach
della scuola Cremonese
fece in Milano 1896John Dilworth - Leandro Bisiach della Scoula Cremonese
fece in Milano 1917John Dilworth - Piazza del Duomo Leandro Bisiach
in Milano
1909John Dilworth
Influence and legacy
- Training: He was initially introduced to the craft by Romeo and Riccardo Antoniazzi in Milan around 1886. Sources contain conflicting information regarding his early training; John Dilworth states his introduction to the craft by the Antoniazzis in Milan, while Willibald Leo Lütgendorff indicates he learned in Cremona.
- Mentorship: Bisiach employed and established the careers not only of his sons but also of other notable makers such as Sgarabotto, Ornati, Garimberti, and Pedrazzini.
- Study: Willibald Leo Lütgendorff notes that Bisiach made the study of old Cremonese masters his primary task.
- Awards: He achieved numerous awards throughout his career, including London 1895, Atlanta 1895/6, Turin 1898, Paris 1900, Milan 1906, and Brussels 1910.
- Family Continuity: His sons Giacomo, Leandro (II), and Andrea assisted him in his workshop during his later period.
- Collections: Quartets of his instruments are preserved in the collections of the Castello Sforzesco in Milan and the Accademia Chigiana in Siena.
Further Information
- Workshop Locations: In Milan, he was initially located at 8 via Silvio Pellico, then at 11 via Rugabelli, followed by 9 via Alberto da Guiassano in 1930, and finally 1 via San Nicolo.
- Labels: Examples of his labels include 'Leandro Bisiach / della scuola Cremonese / fece in Milano 1896', 'Leandro Bisiach della Scoula Cremonese / fece in Milano 1917. Piazza del Duomo', and 'Leandro Bisiach / in Milano / 1909 [Blot II]'.
Biographies
The overview above is drawn from the following published accounts. Read them in the original:
John Dilworth+
BISIACH, Leandro Giuseppe (I) Born 1864 Casale Monferrato, died 1946 Venegono Superiore Italy. Highly regarded maker of the modern Italian school. First introduced to the craft by Romeo and Riccardo Antoniazzi in Milan c.1886. Established independently there 1890. Between 1918 and 1922 spent time in Siena as curator at the Academia Chigiana Conservatoire, but settled permanently thereafter in Milan. Initially at 8 via Silvio Pellico, then at 11 via Rugabelli, and in 1930 at 9 via Alberto da Guiassano, and finally 1 via San Nicolo. Assisted in the later period by his sons Giacomo, Leandro (II), and Andrea, below, he retired to Venegano, Varese c.1932. There he continued to practice as an expert connoisseur, dealer, and repairer until his death. Bisiach employed and established the careers, not only of his sons, but of Sgarabotto, Ornati, Garimberti, Pedrazzini, and others. His workshops produced replicas of old instruments with shaded varnish; also many of new appearance on many classical models. Early work much influenced by Antoniazzi, with distinctively eccentric volute to the scroll; later output quite diverse. Used a varnish said to be of genuine Stradivari origin, known as the ‘1704’ recipe, very successfully. Prolific maker: quartets are in the collections of the Castello Sforzesco in Milan and the Accademia Chigiana, Sienna. Many awards achieved in his career: London 1895, Atlanta 1895/6, Turin 1898, Paris 1900, Milan 1906, and Brussels 1910. Leandro Bisiach / della scuola Cremonese / fece in Milano 1896 Leandro Bisiach della Scoula Cremonese / fece in Milano 1917. Piazza del Duomo Leandro Bisiach / in Milano / 1909 [Blot II]
Willibald Leo Lütgendorff+
Besserer italienischer Geigenmacher der Gegenwart, der etwas darauf hält,
dass nur Geigen, die in allen Theilen in seiner Werkstatt angefertigt werden,
seinen Namen tragen. Er hat in Cremona gelernt und das Studium der alten
Cremoneser zu seiner Hauptaufgabe gemacht.
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