Giovanni Battista ROGERI

b. in Bologna about 1650. He went to Cremona to work under Nicola Amati, Stradivari was a fellow pupil of his. He then settled in Brescia and worked there about 1670 to 1725. He made admirable instruments, generally following the Amati or the Stradivari pattern, the wood was chosen with the greatest care; the varnish is very beautiful, of a golden-red colour, the sound holes resemble those of Amati, the purfling is accurate, the corners elegant ; some of his violins are so excellently made and have such a fine tone, they have been sold as the work of Stradivari. Especially penetrating and robust is the tone of his violoncellos; he sometimes used poplar-wood for the backs— perhaps it was then thought that this rendered the instrument more sonorous, or possibly he received but low prices for his work, and was obliged to use the less expensive wood—but whether of poplar or maple the violoncellos are always beautifully made and are now much valued. Label: "Jo. Bap. Rogerius Bon. Nicolai Amati de Cremona alumnus Brixiae fecit, anno Domini 1671." (The word Bon. simply means Bononiensis. of or from Bologna.) He always used the same label, it is sometimes in red, sometimes in black letters ; other labels seen were dated 1705 and 1725.