Gaetano Sgarabotto
Brescia, Mantua, Milan, Parma, Vicenza, 1878–1960
Gaetano SGARABOTTO (1878-1960) was an Italian luthier renowned for his finely observed copies of classical Italian masters like Testore and Grancino, as well as his own distinctive model. He studied wood carving and violin making under R. Antoniazzi and L. Bisiach, later becoming Director of the Violin Making School in Parma. His instruments, including violins, violas, cellos, and double basses, were recognized with numerous medals and are noted for their finished quality and varied varnishes. A quartet he crafted is housed in the Museo Stradivariano.
Auction Price History
Highest auction price
68 results
| Type | Details | Auction house | Sold | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violin | Labelled Enricus Ceruti fecit Cremonae anno 1872 E. F. G. Lot 90 | Tarisio | March 2026 | £29,500est. Estimate £ 25,000-40,000 |
| Violin | Labelled Andreas Postacchini Firmanus fecit sub titulo S. Raphaelis Archang. 1857 Lot 233 | — | March 2026 | £18,000est. Estimate £ 12,000-18,000 |
| Violin | Violin, 1925 c. Lot 60 | Aguttes | November 2025 | £38,376est. € 35.000-55.000 |
| Viola | Illustrated on I Segreti di Sgarabotto by Andrea Zanré, pp. 218-219; labelled Joannes Baptista ... Lot 175 | Ingles & H. | March 2025 | £28,800est. £ 10,000-15,000 |
| Violin | Labelled Stefano Scarampella fece in Mantova 1900 Lot 93 | Tarisio | October 2024 | £35,400est. £ 30,000-50,000 |
| Viola | Labelled Antonius Landolfi fecit Mediolani Anno 1768 Lot 128 | Ingles & H. | October 2024 | £48,000est. £ 40,000-60,000 |
| Viola | Labelled Gaetano Guadagnini fece in Torino nell'anno 1830 in Piazza S. Carlo Lot 103 | Ingles & H. | March 2024 | £42,000est. £ 35,000-50,000 |
| Violin | Labelled Luigi Bajoni fece l'anno 1877 in Milano, labelled to the upper block Gaetano Sgarabotto Lot 113 | Tarisio | March 2024 | £39,857est. $ 40,000-60,000 |
| Violin | After Grancino, unlabelled Lot 22 | Ingles & Hayday | March 2023 | £72,000est. £ 20,000-30,000 |
| Viola | Labelled Cajetanus Sgarabotto Vicentinus fecit Vicenza SG. anno Domini 1923 Viola Parsifal Lot 50 | Tarisio | November 2022 | £37,865est. $ 35,000-50,000 |
| Viola | Labelled Giuseppe Baldantoni Ancona anno 1871 Lot 51 | Tarisio | November 2021 | £24,457est. $ 15,000-22,000 |
| Viola | Labelled Cajetanus Sgarabotto Vicentinus, fecit Vicenza ... anno Domini 1923, inscribed Viola Parsifal Lot 45 | Tarisio | June 2021 | £29,500est. £ 25,000-40,000 |
| Violin | Unlabelled, it is possible that the back and sides of this violin originate from an older Italian instrument Lot 160 | Ingles & Hayday | June 2021 | £15,600est. £ 10,000-15,000 |
| Violin | Labelled Stefano Scarampella di Brescia, Premiato con medaglie d'Argento, fratello ed allievo del ... Lot 167 | Tarisio | November 2020 | £57,914est. $ 50,000-80,000 |
| Violin | Illustrated in Gaetano e Pietro Sgarabotto, liutai - violin makers 1878 - 1990, p. 63 Lot 220 | Tarisio | March 2019 | £57,000est. £ 30,000-50,000 |
| Cello | Labelled Paulo Antonio Testore figlio, di Carlo Giuseppe Testore, in contrada larga di Milano, al ... Lot 22 | Tarisio | October 2018 | £108,000est. £ 50,000-80,000 |
| Violin | Lot 196 | Brompton's | May 2018 | £4,400 |
| Violin | Labelled Giuseppe Marconcini Ferrariensi Fecit Ferrarie Anno 1840 Lot 21 | Ingles & Hayday | March 2018 | £24,000est. £ 20,000-30,000 |
| Violin | Labelled Cajetanus Sgarabotto Vicentinus, fecit Brescia anno domini 1953 Lot 147 | Tarisio | February 2018 | £23,610est. $ 18,000-25,000 |
| Violin | Bearing the original label dated 1908 Lot 170 | Brompton’s | June 2017 | £38,400est. £ 30,000-40,000 |
| Violin | Labelled Franciscus Stradivarius Cremonensis filius Antonii faciebat Anno 1740 Lot 83 | Brompton’s | October 2016 | £25,200est. £ 18,000-25,000 |
| Cello | Unlabelled Lot 22 | Tarisio | November 2015 | £70,800est. £ 60,000-90,000 |
| Violin | Bearing a manuscript label Gaetano Sgarabotto Parma 1938 Lot 460 | Brompton’s | June 2015 | £36,000est. £ 35,000-45,000 |
| Violin | Labelled GIOVANNI DOLLENZ, TRIESTE Lot 18 | Skinners | April 2015 | £26,966est. $ 34,000-38,000 |
| Viola | Unlabelled Lot 78 | Ingles & Hayday | March 2015 | £21,600est. £ 18,000-25,000 |
| Violin | Bearing a hand written label Stefano Scarampella fece in Mantova 1900 Lot 199 | Tarisio | October 2014 | £21,240est. £ 30,000-50,000 |
| Violin | Bearing an original label dated 1920 Lot 123 | Brompton’s | October 2014 | £48,000est. £ 40,000-60,000 |
| Violin | Labelled Gajetanus Sgarabotto Vicentinus, fecit Parmae anno domini 1931, ribs and head later Lot 88 | Brompton’s | October 2012 | £7,200est. £ 5,000-7,000 |
| Violin | 35.4 cm Parma, 1930 c. | — | May 2011 | £29,134 |
| Violin | 35.6 cm Parma, 1931 | — | December 2010 | £9,600 |
| Violin | 35.8 cm Milan, 1910 c. | — | October 2010 | £18,777 |
| Violin | 35.5 cm Milan, 1910 c. | — | April 2010 | £39,280 |
| Violin | 35.0 cm Parma, 1932 | — | December 2009 | £16,800 |
| Violin | 35.5 cm Vicenza, 1921 | — | October 2009 | £24,000 |
| Violin | 35.5 cm Brescia, 1952 | — | May 2009 | £19,410 |
| Violin | 35.2 cm Vicenza, 1910 c. (varnish substantially retouched in parts) | — | March 2009 | £16,380 |
| Violin | 35.0 cm Milan, 1900 c. Probably by | — | November 2008 | £18,525 |
| Violin | 35.6 cm Brescia, 1930 c. | — | October 2008 | £23,500 |
| Violin | 35.5 cm Brescia, 1952 | — | March 2008 | £14,900 |
| Violin | 35.5 cm Parma, 1946 | — | October 2007 | £24,500 |
| Violin | 35.8 cm Milan, 1910 c. "Grancino" copy | — | March 2007 | £17,250 |
| Cello | 76.0 cm Parma, 1930 c. | — | February 2007 | £48,000 |
| Violin | 35.5 cm Vicenza, 1899 | — | November 2006 | £21,051 |
| Violin | 35.6 cm Milan, 1927 | — | November 2006 | £30,073 |
| Violin | Parma, 1910 c. | — | November 2005 | £9,852 |
| Violin | Vicenza, 1924 | — | October 2005 | £26,107 |
| Violin | Parma, 1933 | — | April 2005 | £30,077 |
| Viola | 40.5 cm Milan, 1920 c. | — | May 2004 | £20,910 |
| Violin | 1932 | — | October 2003 | £17,208 |
| Violin | 1903 c. | — | November 2001 | £14,362 |
| Violin | 1920 | — | November 2001 | £5,585 |
| Violin | 1920 | — | May 2000 | £7,333 |
| Violin | 1930 | — | November 1998 | £1,593 |
| Violin | 1937 | — | April 1998 | £21,850 |
| Violin | 1954 | — | March 1998 | £20,125 |
| Violin | 1928 | — | June 1996 | £20,700 |
| Viola | 41.9 cm 1939 | — | November 1995 | £16,100 |
| Violin | 1920 | — | November 1995 | £19,550 |
| Violin | 1930 c. | — | June 1995 | £31,050 |
| Violin | 1915 c. | — | November 1994 | £24,150 |
| Violin | 1913 | — | November 1993 | £11,892 |
| Cello | 1950 | — | November 1991 | £11,550 |
| Viola | 41.3 cm 1949 | — | June 1990 | £4,180 |
| Viola | 41.0 cm 1953 | — | November 1988 | £5,500 |
| Violin | 1943 | — | May 1986 | £2,592 |
| Violin | 19-- | — | March 1986 | £2,655 |
| Violin | 19-- | — | June 1985 | £2,388 |
| Violin | 19-- | — | October 1984 | £4,224 |
No results match those filters.
Maker Overview
Life
Gaetano SGARABOTTO (1878-1960) was born on September 20, 1878, in Vicenza, Italy, and passed away in 1960 in Parma, Italy. He undertook studies in wood carving at the Academia Olimpica in Vicenza. In 1893, he relocated to Milan, where he became a pupil of R. Antoniazzi and L. Bisiach. Sgarabotto was appointed Director of the Violin Making School in Parma in 1928. He worked briefly in Brescia and subsequently returned to Parma., he worked in Parma after 1928 and in Brescia since 1948. He was honored with the title of 'Cavaliere' in 1918. He exhibited a violin and an entire quartet at the Cremona Exhibition in 1937.
Characteristics
- Style
- He worked in the style of Stradivari and N. Amati, and produced finely observed copies of many classical Italian works, including those of Testore and Grancino.
- Models
- He also developed his own personal model, which was distilled from these various influences.
- Instruments
- He crafted violins, violas, cellos, and double basses.
- Varnish
- He utilized a red or pale orange varnish, and Henri Poidras notes his fine yellow varnish.
- Workmanship
- Henri Poidras describes his instruments, apart from his imitations, as very finished.
- Cajetanus Sgarabotto Vicentinus
fecit Mediolanum anno Domini 1908John Dilworth
Influence and legacy
- Teachers: He was a pupil of R. Antoniazzi and L. Bisiach in Milan.
- Leadership: He was appointed Director of the Violin Making School in Parma in 1928.
- Awards: He was awarded numerous medals, including in Vicenza, Turin (1898), Paris (1900), Milan (1906), Brussels (1910), and Rome (1920).
- Recognition: He was created 'Cavaliere' in 1918.
- Exhibitions & Collections: A quartet he made for the 1937 Exhibition in Cremona is preserved at the Museo Stradivariano.
- Jurist Role: He served as a jurist at several international competitions.
Further Information
- Workshop Locations: He worked in Milan, Vicenza, San Felice, Parma, and Brescia.
- Labels: He used both manuscript and printed labels, such as "Cajetanus Sgarabotto Vicentinus / fecit Mediolanum anno Domini 1908".
Biographies
The overview above is drawn from the following published accounts. Read them in the original:
John Dilworth+
SGARABOTTO, Gaetano Born 1878 Vicenza, died 1960 Parma Italy. Studied wood carving at the Academia Olimpica, Vicenza. Moved to Milan 1893, where he became a pupil of R. Antoniazzi and L. Bisiach. Appointed Director of the Violin Making School in Parma 1928. Worked briefly in Brescia and returned to Parma. Finely observed copies of many classical Italian works, including Testore and Grancino. Also his own personal model distilled from all these influences. Violins, violas, cellos, and double basses. Many medals awarded: Vicenza, Turin 1898, Paris 1900, Milan 1906, Brussels 1910, and Rome 1920. A quartet made for the 1937 Exhibition in Cremona is kept at the Museo Stradivariano. Acted as a jurist himself at several international competitions. Created ‘Cavaliere’ in 1918. Manuscript and printed labels. Cajetanus Sgarabotto Vicentinus / fecit Mediolanum anno Domini 1908
Henri Poidras+
Contemporary maker, copyist of Testore and Grancino of rare skill. Apart from his imitations, this maker made very finished instruments. Fine yellow varnish.
Karel Jalovec+
Milan, Vicenza, San Felice, Parma, Brescia. Born Sept. 20, 1878 in Vicenza, he worked in the style of Stradivari and N. Amati, using a red or pale orange varnish. Worked in Parma after 1928 and in Brescia since 1948. Exhibited a violin and an entire quartet at Cremona 1937.
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