A Fine Oddone Violin in the March London Auction

One of the star lots in our March 2011 London auction is a Turin violin

by Carlo Giuseppe Oddone. Tarisio asked violin expert and author Dmitry

Gindin to write about this particularly well preserved example.

See the complete article and additional photographs here:

http://tarisio.com/wp/2011/03/carlo-giuseppe-oddone\_1905

Carlo Giuseppe Oddone (1866 - 1935) began learning his trade at a very

young age in the workshop of Benedetto Gioffredo 'Rinaldi', working

there from about 1880 until Rinaldi's death in 1888. In 1889 he moved to

work for Frederick William Chanot in London. Working at a

well-established Anglo–French workshop gave the young man a clear

advantage over many of his countrymen, most of whom lacked the

opportunity to examine fine violins: restoring and setting up old

Italian instruments gave him first-hand knowledge of their models and

styles; and interaction with Chanot and other French makers surely

prompted the perfectionism that later would become evident in his own

making.

Oddone returned to Turin in 1892 and began making instruments

substantially influenced by the Anglo–French style then so prevalent in

England. European taste at that time was partial to the work of

Vuillaume, Gand, Georges Chanot and Bernardel, and Oddone used his taste

and talent to fuse these influences into a convincing Piedmontese model.

During these experimental final years of the 19th century he

collaborated with the well-established Rinaldi and Guadagnini workshops,

while producing some of his most inspired personal work in the very last

years of the century for his own account. By the turn of the 20th

century his experiments had yielded a superb and innovative model to

which he more or less adhered throughout his career.

This fine 1905 example comes from the middle of Oddone's 'golden

period', which lasted from approximately 1898 to 1915. This meticulously

made violin boasts all the characteristics associated with Oddone's

mature work. It is made on his own model, which is a successful fusion

of influences of the earlier Italian makers that Oddone idolized –

Stradivari for the overall impact and soundhole model, and Guadagnini

and Rocca for the broad and flat arching that promises a powerful and

even tone. The purfling, very carefully inlaid with its two

characteristically narrow strips, is set rather close to the edge and

ends abruptly at the somewhat elongated, squarish corners.

The head is especially characteristic: the stout pegbox is outlined by a

black chamfer; the strong, round volute is built without hesitation and

contributes to the overall feeling of power to the instrument; it is

moderately deeply carved and has a pronounced centre 'eye'. Particular

attention is paid to the edges, the workmanship of which is reminiscent

of English and French work of the period – quite square and perfectly

finished.

The symmetrically constructed button adds a touch of elegance to the

otherwise austere outline. Oddone chose a stunningly flamed maple for

the back, sides and scroll and an even-grained spruce for the top, and

the varnish is a transparent, lustrous orange, generously applied.