f
Niccolo Amati passed into the possession of Stradivari, and are
therefore included with those now in the keeping of Count Cozio's
descendant, the Marquis Dalla Valle. The varnish of Girolamo Amati
shows signs of decadence; in some instances, however, we find it soft
and transparent. The few which have this quality of varnish I am
inclined to think were made in the time of Niccolo, since the
instruments of a later date have a coating of varnish of an inferior
kind. This maker--as with the Bergonzis--seems, therefore, to have
been either ignorant of his parent's mode of making superior varnish,
or was unable to obtain the same kind or quality of ingredients. With
Girolamo closes the history of the family of the Amati as
Violin-makers. Girolamo had a son, Niccolo Giuseppe, born in 1684, who
removed with his father to another parish in 1736, as mentioned above,
but he was not a maker of Violins.

AMBROSI, Pietro, Rome and Brescia, about 1730.

Petrus Ambrosi fecit Brixiae, 17--

Average merit. The workmanship resembles that of Balestrieri, as seen
in the inferior instruments of that maker.

ANSELMO, Pietro, Cremona, 1701. The instruments of this maker partake
of the Ruggeri character. The varnish is rich in colour and of
considerable body. Scarce. I have met with two excellent Violoncellos
by this maker. Anselmo is said to have worked also in Venice.

ANTONIAZZI, Gaetano, Cremona, 1860. The work is passable, but the form
faulty. The sound-holes are not properly placed.

ANTONIO OF BOLOGNA (Antonius Bononiensis). There is a Viol da Gamba by
this maker at the Academy of Music, Bologna.

ANTONIO, Ciciliano, an Italian maker of Viols. A specimen exists at
the Academy of Bologna, without date.

ASSALONE, Gasparo, Rome, 18th century. The model is high and the
workmanship rough. Thin yellow varnish.

BAGONI, Luigi (or Bajoni), Milan, from about 1840. Was living in 1876.

BAGATELLA, Antonio, Padua, made both Violins and Violoncellos, a few
of which have points of merit. He wrote a pamphlet in 1782 on a method
of constructing Violins by means of a graduated perpendicular line
similar to Wettengel's; but no benefit has been derived from it.

BAGATELLA, Pietro, Padua, is mentioned as a maker who worked about
1760.

BALESTRIERI, Tommaso, middle of the 18th century.

Thomas Balestrieri Cremonensis
Fecit Mantuae. Anno 17--

Said to have been a pupil of Stradivari, which is probable. The
instruments of Bal