Fabrizio Giannini highly decorated violin, ca. 1935, Viareggio, ITALY | Metzler Violins

This whimsical violin was handcrafted by Fabrizio Giannini, an Italian luthier born in Arezzo in 1911. Giannini began making instruments in 1934 and worked out of Viareggio, Italy through the 1940s. Giannini is known for his individualistic models, which spanned approximately 100 violins. 

This example particularly striking, distinguished by elaborate ornamentation on the back, ribs, and scroll.