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National Museum of History and Technology
Stringed Instruments

A quartet of signed, 18th Century stringed instruments was acquired in January 1979 by the National Museum of History and Technology. Three of the instruments (a violin by Ferdinand Gagliano, Naples, ca. 1780; a viola by Gennaro Gagliano, Naples, ca. 1762; and a violincello by Johannes Baptista de Tononis, Bologna, ca. 1740) were purchased. The fourth (a violin by Antonio Gragnani, Livorno, ca 1783) was a gift. Of major importance is the fact that the instruments are in their original condition (by the early 19th Century, most such instruments were being altered to achieve higher pitch and bigger sound). Their acquisition greatly strengthens the musical instrument collections which had been notably weak in bowed, stringed instruments.

[[image - black & white photograph of scroll [of violin?] with label "Decal of Scroll]]

[[image - black & white photograph of violin with label "Gragnani Violin 1783]]