Joseph Guarnerius del Gesu is a member of one of the most famous and most illustrious family of violin makers in the world. His violins became famous for the quality of music that they were able to produce. Some classical musicians even prefer his instruments to those made by the more famous instrument maker Stradivarius. He has another connection to Antonio Stradivari, they were both apprenticed to Nicolo Amati, but that is not where he first learned of his craft. Both his father and grandfather were noted violin makers themselves. He was able to get his first lessons in violin making in their shop at home.
Born in 1698, his period of creation was comparatively brief. He created his best instruments from the late 1720s until the year of his death 1744. During that period it is estimated that he was able to produce over 250 violins. These instruments however show a different temperament from the products of Stradivari, his rival. Antonio Stradivari deliberately developed his instruments over the years, while maintaining a consistency that became the trademark for his instruments.
A Joseph Guarnerius violin however will show a different characteristic. It showcased the temperament of an impatient and restless man. He experimented with his instruments drastically. The result is that there are so many inconsistencies amongst his violins. No two Joseph Guarnerius violins are exactly alike. It is also worth noting that the violins produced from the later period of his life show an increase in the impatience needed for the process of properly finishing an instrument. There might even be some defects in the way that some instruments were finished or some crudeness that he did not bother to correct.
Despite the crudeness of the appearance of some of these later instruments, the violins that Joseph Guarnerius made are valued highly by violinists all over the world. They are noted for their tone which is strong and of the finest quality. Because of the quality of the music that they produce, Joseph Guarnerius violins are some of the most expensive violins in the world today.
It is really not surprising that so many people are coming out with supposed Joseph Guarnerius violins today that they inherited or they found somewhere. They will point out to the fact that the name Joseph Guarnerius is engraved or written in old paper inside the instrument together with the IHS initials which stands for Jesus in Greek, and the small cross symbol, both of which became his trademark. One must bear in mind however that the violins that Joseph Guarnerius made were copied widely in the 19th century.
That means that there are a lot of really old instruments out there that bear that name but have no real connection to the famous instrument maker. If you have a violin like that and you think that here is a chance that it is a genuine Joseph Guarnerius violin then you should take it to an appraiser or expert to have it assessed, but chances are it is a copy, after all he only personally made 250 violins during his life. And if you are looking to buy a Joseph Guarnerius violin then my best advice is to make sure that you buy from a reputable dealer or auction house.