Giovanni Grancino

Who was Giovanni Grancino?

Giovanni Grancino, son of Andrea Grancino, was one of the early Milanese luthiers, and may have worked with his brother, Francesco.

Grancino's workshops were all located on Contrada Larga, now Via Larga in Milan. His instruments bear the characteristic segno della corona.

Although the luthiers of Milan created instruments of varying quality, Grancino's violins, violas, cellos and double basses are considered superior. Grancino used a varnish which was a finely textured clear yellow to pale brown color.

Grancino's early instrument patterns and designs were influenced by Niccolò Amati of Cremona, whose impressive works influenced many Italian luthiers of the period. However, Grancino's later productions show flatter arching and narrower form under the influence of Stradivari. Grancino's cellos tend to be larger than others, yet with a clear sound characteristic of the Italian luthiers.

The Grancino manufactory was continued by members of the Testore family. The eldest of them, Carlo Giuseppe Testore, built a violin for Grancino which is now housed in the National Music Museum on the campus of the University of South Dakota.