Ruggieri

Who was Ruggieri?

Francesco Ruggieri was perhaps an apprentice of Nicolò Amati, another important luthier in Cremona Italy, although other sources call this association into question.

In support of Ruggieri being a pupil of Nicolò Amati, there is a court case brought in 1685 by a violinist who sought relief from the Duke of Modena as a victim of fraud. In this case, the violinist, one Tomaso Antonio Vitali, bought a violin purporting to be a creation of Nicolò Amati. Yet under the Amati label was the label of Francesco Ruggieri. There was a price difference in those days of 3 to 1 on Amati vs. Ruggieri violins, so this was a serious matter. However, this case may also indicate that Ruggieri, who was working in the shadow of the great Cremona makers—Amati, Guarneri, and Stradivari—resorted to a desperate act to make a sale. The result of the court case is not known, but either scenario could prove valid.

In any event, Francesco was the first of an important family of violin makers. His progeny were:

Giovanni Battista Ruggieri was the eldest son of Francesco Ruggieri.

Giacinto Ruggieri was the second son of Francesco Ruggieri.