Gioffredo Cappa

He was born in 1644 in Saluzzo, near Turin.

He was an early violin maker of the Turin School, and produced Amati-style instruments.

Some records indicate that he was a pupil of Nicolo Amati (1596-1684), but it is thought that he began making string instruments under the influence of Enricus Catenar (1621-1701 BC), a Tyrolean maker who moved to Turin, and Andrea Gatto (fl. 1665-1679), a Turin string instrument maker.

It features a rounded outline, slightly tilted F-holes, and a glossy, deep varnish reminiscent of Cremona.

Famous performers such as Paganini (Nicolo Paganini 1782-1840) and Viotti (Giovanni Battista Viotti 1755-1824) used Kappa instruments.

The Kappa label was used by many makers, repairers and instrument dealers, leading to the circulation of many counterfeit instruments.

Later, in Turin, string instrument making continued under the influence of Cappa, including Spirito Sorsana (f.c.1714-1736), Giovanni Francesco Celoniato (f.c.1720-1760), and the Guadagnini family, but the craft gradually declined.

At the beginning of the 19th century, the appearance of Giovanni Francesco Pressenda (1777-1854) gave rise to a completely new trend within the Turin School.

He died in 1717 (at the age of 73).

Quote《The Brompton's Book of Violin and Bow Makers》