Name Igino Sderci | Died 1983, Florence, Italy | |
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Igino Sderci, Florence 1954, 16½” Viola Demonstration
Igino (Iginius) Sderci (1884 - 1983) was born in Florence, Italy. He devoted his entire career to violin making, studying under master maker Leandro Bisiach. A very prolific maker making more than 700 instruments including many large violas. He won gold medals at the prestigious Stradivarius Exhibition at Cremona in 1937 marking the bicentanary of Stradivari's death (as well as prizes in 1949).
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From his earliest childhood Igino Sderci was interested in music & art. He studied sculpture in Siena and had a gift for wood carving. He made his first violin without supervision. In Siena Sderci was taken under the wing of Leandro Bisiach, who valued the young man's skills highly. In 1917 he went to Milan and worked in the workshop of Leandro Bisiach. Under his guidance he refined his skills and worked with Leandro Bisiach for about 14 years before leaving for Florence to establish his own workshop. Igino Sderci copied the models of Stradivarius and Guarneri and reflected their influence as his instruments are full of character and made with utmost care. Without exception he used wood of the highest quality and fine varnish mainly of an amber-yellow shade.
Instruments
"The internal structure of his instruments reveal the choice of red willow for the lining and the corner blocks. The carved technique of the lining and the incision where these meet the corner blocks are always perfect. The f-holes and scroll are perfectly cut and the spiral line of the scroll is always precise." - 'I Maestri Del Novecento' - Carlo Vettori
Below is a fine example of this masters work. A very beautiful instrument made as a copy of Andrea Guarneri in 1924 label reads: "Iginius Sderci fece Siena l'anno 1924"