Alfred Lanini violin, 1921, San Jose | Metzler Violins

sweet, supple, lively

About the Instrument

This violin has a gorgeous sweetness that traverses across its upper and lower registers. It has a lush apricot varnish over a golden ground with tight, curly flames on its single-piece back. These flames also run nicely along the ribs and neck. “A. LANINI. CAL.” is stamped near the endpin. This instrument is a lovely example of Lanini’s work, having been completed relatively early in his career.

Interior label reads: “Alfred Lanini / San Jose, California / 1921”
Length: 355 mm
Upper Bouts: 164 mm
Middle: 111 mm
Lower Bouts: 205 mm

About the Maker

Alfred Eugene Lanini (1891-1956) was born in Gonzalez, California. As a child, Lanini moved to San Jose and initially worked with a local amateur violinmaker before going to Milan to study with Romeo Antoniazzi. Antoniazzi died less than a year after Lanini’s arrival, but not before Lanini learned Antoniazzi’s clear spirit varnish recipe. The young Lanini then began working in Celeste Farotti’s luthier shop, where he remained for three years. Lanini opened an atelier of his own in San Francisco in 1917, before quickly relocating back to San Jose. His workshop remained in his hometown until Lanini’s death nearly forty years later. In the earlier years of his craft, Lanini often drew from models of Antonio and Omobono Stradivari instruments before turning to Guarneri models after 1930. In his decades-long career, Lanini defined himself as an eminent American violin maker and was remarkably prolific. One hundred instruments over a luthier’s career are enough to be considered productive—Lanini crafted over 500 instruments (the majority of which were violins). Lanini also made nearly 100 bows, having studied bow making under August Nurnberger-Seuss and Auguste Husson. His work was influential in its honoring his Italian training in the style as well as expressing uniquely American characteristics in his instruments.