Marino Capicchioni

Born in San Marino in 1895.

He worked as a carpenter and cooper in his youth, but at the age of 19 he started making guitars and spent a year working in a guitar factory in France.

He then returned to Italy and began making his own violins, receiving advice from violin makers from various regions.

In 1929 he moved to Rimini, where he lived for the rest of his life.

Marino won numerous awards at exhibitions in Padua, Ascoli, Rome and Cremona.

In his 20s and 30s, he was technically excellent but lacked originality, but from his 40s onwards he gradually developed his own style, and by his 50s he was producing instruments with a fully mature style.

Marino's work is highly individual, and he is inspired not only by classic models but also by the "Tortis model".

*The "Tertis Model" is a wide-body viola invented by the British violist Lionel Tertis (1876-1975).

Since 1960, production has mainly been in the Del Gesu mold.

Materials from the 1950s onwards are of very high quality, with a back plate with strong tiger grain and a top plate with medium to fine annual rings further enhancing the instrument's impression.

The purfling has a taut arching, the corner edges and scroll edges are beautifully rounded to give the instrument an aged look, and the lightly gradient varnish gives the instrument a worn appearance.

It also has excellent acoustics and was used by famous violinists such as Menuhin (Yehudi Menuhin 1916-1999) and Oistrakh (David Oistrakh 1908-1974).

His son, Mario (Mario Capicchioni 1926-1977), also became a violin maker and inherited Marino's style.

He died in Rimini in 1977 (aged 82).

Quotations《The Brompton's Book of Violin and Bow Makers》《Liuteria Italiana I》