1684 - Cello "Visconti"

The hypothesis that the instrument may have been originally a viola da gamba (Hill) finds credit in the manner in which it was transformed in the early nineteenth century cello, perhaps by John Betts of London. On the soundoard and on the back is painted the weapon of the noble Visconti, fact from which it derives the name of the instrument, but the reference to the family of Visconti di Modrone is wrong, because it constitutes the coat of arms of the Counts of Visconti of Cremona (who later bought the title of Counts of Marcignago). Back of two pieces. Right upper rib was subsequently replaced. Scroll of a later period, perhaps by Nicolas Lupot (Wurlitzer). Red-brown varnish. The date on the label affixed to the instrument is 1684, but the varnish and the cutting of Stradivari effe recall the production of the early nineties of the seventeenth century (Carlson).