Gio Batta Morassi
Cremona
Gio Batta Morassi (1934–2018) was the maker and teacher who did more than anyone to reopen Cremonese violin making after the war: pupil and then master at the Scuola Internazionale di Liuteria, a founder of the Associazione Liutaria Italiana, and head of the workshop in via dei Lanaioli that his son and nephews still run.
Instruments
Auction Price History
Highest auction price
89 results
| Type | Details | Auction house | Sold | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Viola | Labelled Scuola Cremonese No. 266 Gio Batta Morassi Utinensis fecit Cremonae anno 1971, signed Lot 32 | Tarisio | March 2026 | £26,956est. Estimate $ 25,000-40,000 |
| Violin | Labelled Gio. Batta Morassi Utinensis fecit Cremonae anno 1977, signed to the label, branded Lot 93 | — | September 2025 | £33,483est. € 25.000-40.000 |
| Violin | Labelled Gio. Batta Morassi Utinensis fecit Cremonae anno 1984, branded three times G. Morassi Lot 182 | — | May 2025 | £33,402est. $ 25,000-40,000 |
| Viola | Labelled Gio Batta Morassi Utinensis fecit Cremonae anno 1969, branded to the inside back G. Morassi Lot 53 | — | May 2025 | £24,836est. € 30.000-50.000 |
| Cello | A cello by G. B. Morassi, Cremona, 1972 Lot 10 | Amati | March 2025 | £101,120est. £ 40,000-60,000 |
| Viola | Labelled Scvola Cremonese No. 266 Gio Batta Morassi Utinensis fecit Cremonae anno 1971, branded Lot 39 | Tarisio | March 2025 | £22,785est. $ 25,000-40,000 |
| Viola | Labelled Scuola Cremonese Gio Batta Morassi Utinensis fecit Cremonae anno 1972 No. 286, signed Lot 50 | Tarisio | November 2024 | £27,807est. $ 30,000-50,000 |
| Violin | Labelled Scuola Cremonese, No. 251, Gio Batta Morassi, Utinensis fecit, Cremonae, anno 1963, branded Lot 164 | Tarisio | October 2024 | £46,858est. € 25.000-40.000 |
| Cello | Labelled Scuola Cremonese, Gio Batta Morassi, Utinensis fecit, Cremonae anno 1971 Lot 19 | Tarisio | October 2024 | £64,900est. £ 30,000-50,000 |
| Viola | Labelled Gio. Batta Morassi, Utinensis fecit, Cremonae anno 1979, branded twice G. Morassi Lot 41 | Tarisio | October 2024 | £23,600est. £ 25,000-40,000 |
| Violin | Labelled Gio. Batta Morassi, Utinensis fecit, Cremonae anno 1974, signed to the label, branded Lot 91 | Tarisio | October 2024 | £29,500est. £ 25,000-40,000 |
| Violin | A violin by Giovanni Battista Morassi, Cremona, 1970 Lot 127 | Amati | March 2024 | £34,760est. £ 20,000-40,000 |
| Violin | Labelled Gio. Batta Morassi Utinensis fecit Cremonae anno 1978, signed to the label, branded Lot 184 | — | November 2023 | £38,722est. $ 30,000-50,000 |
| Violin | Labelled Scuola Cremonese, Gio Batta Morassi, Utinensis fecit Cremona anno 1971, branded to the back Lot 126 | — | October 2023 | £33,990est. € 30.000-50.000 |
| Violin | Labelled Gio. Batta Morassi Utinensis fecit Cremonae anno 1973, signed to the label, labelled ICS X055 Lot 96 | — | June 2023 | £36,177est. $ 30,000-50,000 |
| Pochette | Labelled Gio. Batta Morassi Utinensis fecit Cremonae anno 1969 No 158 Morassi, inscribed G. Morassi Lot 1 | — | March 2023 | £3,978est. $ 3,000-5,000 |
| Violin | A violin by Giovanni Battista Morassi, Cremona, 1975 Lot 155 | Amati | November 2022 | £50,560est. £ 10,000-15,000 |
| Viola | A viola by Giovanni Battista Morassi, Cremona, 1974 Lot 86 | Amati | June 2022 | £20,224est. £ 15,000-20,000 |
| Viola | Labelled Gio. Batta Morassi, Utinensis, fecit Cremonae anno 1974, signed to the label, branded Lot 53 | — | April 2022 | £27,748est. € 25.000-40.000 |
| Viola | Labelled Scvola Cremonese No 165 Gio. Batta Morassi Utinensis fecit Cremonae anno 1969, signed Lot 53 | — | November 2021 | £33,351est. $ 25,000-40,000 |
| Viola d'amore | Labelled Gio. Batta Morassi Utinensis fecit Cremonae anno 1974, branded to the inside back G. Morassi Lot 1 | — | July 2021 | £7,390est. $ 8,000-12,000 |
| Viola | Labelled with signature Scuola Cremonese N° 207, Gio. Batta Morassi, Utinensis Cremonae anno 1970 Lot 125 | — | June 2021 | £36,000est. £ 18,000-25,000 |
| Violin | Labelled Scuola Cremonese N° 197, Gio Battista Morassi, Utinensis fecit Cremonae anno 1970 Lot 8 | — | June 2021 | £37,200est. £ 15,000-20,000 |
| Violin | Labelled Scvola Cremonese, Gio. Batta. Morassi, Utinensis fecit, Cremonae anno 1963, signed internally Lot 143 | — | February 2020 | £34,752est. $ 30,000-50,000 |
| Violin | Labelled Gio. Batta Morassi, Utinensis fecit, Cremonae anno 1987, branded internally G. Morassi Lot 249 | — | November 2018 | £27,403est. $ 30,000-50,000 |
| Violin | Labelled Scuola Cremonese, No. 214, Gio. Batta Morassi, Utinensis fecit Cremonae, anno 1970, branded Lot 195 | — | November 2017 | £25,319est. $ 20,000-30,000 |
| Violin | Labelled SCVOLA CREMONESE / Gio. ..., open back center seam, weather crack in top below tailpiece Lot 65 | — | November 2017 | £17,626est. $ 15,000-25,000 |
| Violin | Labelled and branded inside back Lot 120 | — | July 2017 | £31,066est. ¥ 3-4,000,000 |
| Violin | Labelled SCVOLA CREMONESE / Gio. Batta Morassi / Utinensis fecit / Cremonae Anno ..., minor cracks Lot 194 | — | May 2017 | £16,306est. $ 15,000-25,000 |
| Violin | Labelled Scvola Cremonese, No. 191, Gio. Batta Morassi, Utinensis fecit Cremonae, anno 1970, branded Lot 206 | — | May 2017 | £21,270est. $ 18,000-25,000 |
| Cello | Labelled Gio. Batta. Morassi, Utinensis fecit Cremonae anno 1976, one small crack in rib, good condition Lot 123 | — | March 2017 | £48,000est. £ 25,000-35,000 |
| Violin | Labelled Gio. Batta Morassi, Utinensis fecit Cremonae anno 1975 Lot 224 | — | October 2015 | £23,339est. $ 18,000-25,000 |
| Violin | Labelled Scvola Cremonese, No. 251, Gio Batta Morassi, Utinensis fecit Cremonae, anno 1971, branded Lot 108 | — | June 2015 | £17,700 |
| Violin | Labelled Gio. Batta Morassi, Utinensis fecit, Cremonae anno 1974, branded to the inside G. Morassi Lot 90 | — | May 2015 | £16,011est. $ 15,000-22,000 |
| Viola | Lot 178 | Bonhams | October 2014 | £20 |
| Violin | Lot 223 | Bonhams | October 2014 | £17,500 |
| Viola | Labelled Scuola Cremonese, Gio. Batta Morassi ..., of a golden orange colour, fine, almost mint condition Lot 178 | — | October 2014 | £20,000est. £ 10,000-15,000 |
| Violin | Labelled Gio. Batta Morassi, Utinensis, fecit ..., of a golden orange colour, fine, almost mint condition Lot 223 | — | October 2014 | £17,500est. £ 10,000-15,000 |
| Viola | Labelled Gio Batta Morassi, Utinensis fecit Cremona anno 1968, signed to the label, branded G. Morassi Lot 102 | — | October 2013 | £13,548est. $ 15,000-22,000 |
| Violin | Labelled Gio. Batta Morassi, Utinensis fecit Cremonae, anno 1973, branded internally G. Morassi Lot 163 | — | October 2013 | £22,800est. £ 10,000-15,000 |
| Violin | Labelled Gio Batta Morassi, Utinensis fecit, Cremonae, anno 1965, branded to the inside G. Morassi Lot 276 | — | October 2013 | £24,461est. $ 15,000-22,000 |
| Viola | Labelled Gio. Batta Morassi, Utinensis fecit, Cremonae, anno 1976, branded to the inside G. Morassi Lot 49 | — | October 2013 | £12,000est. £ 10,000-15,000 |
| Violin | Labelled Scuola Cremonese, Gio. Batta Morassi Utinensis Fecit Cremonae anno 1972 Lot 105 | — | June 2013 | £18,000est. £ 12,000-18,000 |
| Violin | One-piece back of attractive curl, varnish of an orange brown colour on a yellow ground, original label Lot 111 | — | April 2013 | £15,414est. ¥ 1,500-1,900,000 |
| Viola | Labelled Gio. Batta Morassi Utinensis fecit Cremonae anno 1963 and branded G Morassi internally Lot 92 | — | October 2012 | £30,000est. £ 10,000-15,000 |
| Violin | Labelled Gio. Batta Morassi, Utinensis fecit Cremona anno 1965, signed on the label Lot 185 | Brompton’s | March 2012 | £15,600est. £ 10,000-15,000 |
| Violin | Labelled Gio. Batta Morassi utinensis fecit Cremonae anno 1998, signed by the maker on the label Lot 244 | Brompton’s | March 2012 | £19,200est. £ 12,000-18,000 |
| Violin | Lot 110 | Bonhams | October 2011 | £17,500 |
| Violin | 35.9 cm Cremona, 1979 | — | October 2011 | £17,500 |
| Violin | 35.6 cm Cremona, 1971 | — | May 2011 | £23,671 |
| Violin | 35.4 cm Cremona, 1969 Attributed to | — | April 2011 | £4,501 |
| Violin | 35.6 cm Cremona, 1966 | — | October 2010 | £11,266 |
| Violin | 35.7 cm Cremona, 1972 | — | October 2010 | £18,000 |
| Viola | 42.0 cm Cremona, 1976 | — | April 2010 | £13,355 |
| Viola | 41.1 cm Cremona, 1971 | — | February 2010 | £13,855 |
| Viola | 42.3 cm Cremona, 1973 | — | March 2009 | £10,625 |
| Violin | 43.0 cm Cremona, 1965 "Pochette" | — | June 2008 | £1,560 |
| Violin | 35.7 cm Cremona, 1973 | — | May 2008 | £10,776 |
| Violin | 35.8 cm Cremona, 1980 | — | February 2006 | £7,800 |
| Viola | 41.9 cm Cremona, 1975 | — | February 2005 | £7,800 |
| Cello | Cremona, 1976 | — | July 2004 | £13,200 |
| Viola | 42.2 cm Cremona, 1966 | — | July 2004 | £8,400 |
| Violin | Cremona, 1978 | — | July 2004 | £10,277 |
| Viola | 41.7 cm 1975 | — | June 2002 | £3,745 |
| Violin | 1967 | — | March 2002 | £7,990 |
| Violin | 1966 | — | December 2000 | £5,301 |
| Cello | 1971 | — | October 1998 | £13,800 |
| Violin | 1974 | — | March 1997 | £6,785 |
| Violin | 1975 | — | March 1997 | £6,440 |
| Cello | 1978 | — | March 1997 | £11,500 |
| Violin | 1969 | — | November 1996 | £7,130 |
| Violin | 1974 | — | June 1996 | £4,600 |
| Cello | 1971 | — | March 1995 | £10,350 |
| Violin | 1947 | — | November 1994 | £1,725 |
| Cello | 1973 | — | November 1993 | £6,689 |
| Viola | 42.1 cm 1977 | — | July 1993 | £5,175 |
| Violin | 1970 | — | April 1993 | £4,600 |
| Violin | 1974 | — | June 1991 | £3,960 |
| Viola | 42.2 cm 1973 | — | March 1990 | £3,850 |
| Violin | 1976 | — | November 1989 | £3,520 |
| Violin | 1977 | — | March 1989 | £2,640 |
| Violin | 1980 | — | March 1988 | £1,980 |
| Violin | 1973 | — | June 1987 | £2,530 |
| Violin | 1970 | — | August 1985 | £1,430 |
| Violin | 1972 | — | June 1984 | £1,485 |
| Violin | 1973 | — | April 1983 | £1,296 |
| Violin | 1971 | — | November 1981 | £1,078 |
| Violin | 1970 | — | January 1981 | £858 |
| Viola | 41.0 cm 1972 | — | May 1980 | £1,155 |
No results match those filters.
Maker Overview
Life
Gio Batta Morassi was born at Cedarchis di Arta Terme, in the Carnic Alps above Udine, on 2 July 1934, and died in Cremona on 27 February 2018.12 A scholarship from the Udine Chamber of Commerce took him to the Scuola Internazionale di Liuteria in Cremona in 1951; he studied under Peter Tatar, took his diploma in 1955 and went on to the Milanese workshops of Giuseppe Ornati and Ferdinando Garimberti.15 He was back at the Cremona school as a laboratory teacher by 1958 and taught there until 1983, having opened his own workshop in via dei Lanaioli in 1976.14
The school he joined worked precisely but to no classical model; Morassi pushed it towards the classical instruments in the collections of London, Paris and Milan.5 He was a founder of the Associazione Liutaria Italiana in 1980 and its vice-president when he died, sat on the editorial board of its journal Liuteria, and promoted the growing of resonance spruce in the Tarvisio forest.145 His instruments took ten gold medals in competition, and the University of Udine gave him an honorary degree in June 2015.135
Labels read “Scuola Cremonese / Gio Batta Morassi / Utinensis fecit / Cremonae anno” – Utinensis, of Udine – and are usually numbered; the back is often branded “G. Morassi”.17 The workshop continues at via Lanaioli 3 under his son Simeone and nephews Giovanni Battista and Giulio.16 The Amati archive records 89 auction results for his instruments; the highest, £101,120, was a cello of 1972 sold by Amati in March 2025.7
- Archivio della Liuteria Cremonese, “Morassi Gio Batta”, accessed 5 September 2026.
- Giuliana Biagi, “Addio a un grande della liuteria: si è spento a 84 anni Giobatta Morassi”, Cremonaoggi, 27 February 2018.
- “Tarvisio: addio a Gio Batta Morassi, il ‘grande saggio’ dei violini”, Messaggero Veneto, 28 February 2018.
- “Gio Batta Morassi, Luthier, 1934-2018”, The Strad, March 2018.
- Giorgio Alberti and Roberto Calabretto, Laudatio for the laurea magistrale honoris causa conferred on Gio Batta Morassi, Università degli Studi di Udine, 8 June 2015.
- Morassi Liutai, workshop website, accessed 5 September 2026.
- Amati Instrument Archive, auction records for Gio Batta Morassi, 5 September 2026.
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