Stefano Scarampella

History

Stefano SCARAMPELLA (1843-1925) was born in Brescia on March 17, 1843, and established himself in Mantua. Sources contain conflicting information about his death year, with John Dilworth stating 1925 in Mantua, Italy, while Karel Jalovec states 1927. He was the son of Paolo Scarampella and the brother and pupil of Giuseppe Scarampella. Stefano Scarampella was a prolific and very successful maker, though technically his craftsmanship was not as consistently fine as that of his brother Giuseppe.

Craft

• Models: He produced various classical models, but much of his work is described by John Dilworth as a muscular interpretation of Stradivari or his Mantuan predecessor T. Balestrieri. Karel Jalovec notes that he worked on the pattern of Balestrieri, creating large, broad violins.
• Workmanship: Henri Poidras states that his work was often lacking in finish. John Dilworth observes that his scrolls tend to be quite coarsely finished, and his craftsmanship was not as consistently fine as that of his brother Giuseppe.
• Varnish: John Dilworth describes his red-brown varnish as sometimes a little thin and dull, but just as often rich and well-applied. Henri Poidras mentions a supple orange varnish. Karel Jalovec, however, states that the varnish was of no particular quality and its brown-red hue lacked beauty.
• Materials: John Dilworth notes that Stefano Scarampella regularly used local Italian 'oppio' wood.
• Tone: Karel Jalovec describes his instruments as having a rich tone.

Influence

• Mentorship: Stefano Scarampella was the pupil of his brother, Giuseppe Scarampella, as noted by John Dilworth, Henri Poidras, Karel Jalovec, Willibald Leo Lütgendorff, and Cecie Stainer.
• Stylistic Influence: He worked on the pattern of Balestrieri, according to Karel Jalovec.

Legacy

• Recognition: His labels indicate he was 'premiato con medaglie d'argento' (awarded with silver medals) and 'premiato con medaglie d'oro' (awarded with gold medals).
• Replication: John Dilworth notes that Stefano Scarampella's work was much copied, similar to his brother's.

Further Information

• Workshop Location: Cecie Stainer states that he settled in Mantua, at 8, via Vescovado.
• Labels: John Dilworth provides examples of his labels, including 'Stefano Scarampella di Brescia / premiato con medaglie d'argento / fratello ed allievo del Giuseppe / fece in Brescia anno 18..', 'Stefano Scarampella di Brescia / premiato con medaglie d'argento / fratello ed allievo del Giuseppe / fece anno 19..', 'S.S. Stefano Scarampella Fratello ed Allievo di Giuseppe fecit in Mantova—Anno..', and 'Stefano Scarampella / di Brescia / Premiato con medaglie d’oro / fratello ed allievo del Giuseppe / fece in Mantova anno'.

Summary

Stefano SCARAMPELLA (1843-1925) was a prolific and successful Italian violin maker born in Brescia and active in Mantua. He was the son of Paolo Scarampella and a pupil of his brother, Giuseppe Scarampella. Stefano's work often featured a muscular interpretation of Stradivari or Balestrieri models, though his craftsmanship was sometimes less refined than his brother's, with scrolls tending to be coarsely finished. His varnish, described with varying qualities from red-brown to supple orange, was applied to instruments often made with local Italian 'oppio' wood, known for their rich tone. He received silver and gold medals for his work and, like his brother, his instruments were frequently copied.