Giovanni Tononi was an Italian violin maker active in Bologna during the late 17th and early 18th centuries. A label from one documented instrument reads 'Joannes Tononus fecit Bononiae in Platea Pavaglionis Anno Domini 17*4,' establishing his workshop location in Bologna's Piazza Pavaglione [3]. His instruments exhibit consistent proportions across multiple examples, with back lengths clustering between 35.2 and 35.6 cm [3][4][5][6][7]. Tononi's construction typically features one-piece maple backs with narrow grain [1], and his varnish is characterized as orangish golden-brown [1]. While some attributions place his work circa 1690–1710 [7][4], the precise chronology of his career remains incompletely documented in available sources.
Sources: [{"index":1,"url":"https://tarisio.com/cozio-archive/property/?ID=49667","description":"Tarisio Cozio Archive: Tononi violin with one-piece maple back, orangish golden-brown varnish"},{"index":3,"url":"https://ingleshayday.com/notable-sales-instrument/violin-by-giovanni-tononi-in-bologna-on-1704/","description":"Ingles \u0026 Hayday: Tononi violin labeled Bologna, Piazza Pavaglione, 17*4"},{"index":4,"url":"https://www.bromptons.co/private-sale/a-violin-by-giovanni-tononi-venice-circa-1710/","description":"Brompton\u0027s: Tononi violin circa 1710 with Beare \u0026 Violins certificate"},{"index":5,"url":"https://tarisio.com/cozio-archive/property/?ID=53523","description":"Tarisio Cozio Archive: Unlabeled Tononi violin, one-piece back"},{"index":6,"url":"https://tarisio.com/cozio-archive/property/?ID=48099","description":"Tarisio Cozio Archive: Unlabeled Tononi violin, one-piece back"},{"index":7,"url":"https://ingleshayday.com/notable-sales-instrument/violin-by-giovanni-tononi-in-bologna-on-circa-1690/","description":"Ingles \u0026 Hayday: Tononi violin circa 1690"}]
We track 7 instrument(s) attributed to Giovanni Tononi in our database.
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