Celest Farotti (b. 1864, d. 1928) specialized in creating spectacular bench copies of master violin makers, so much so his instruments were often mistaken for the original. This violin is in pristine condition and is a copy of a Lorenzo Storioni, as Farotti hand-wrote on the label.   A Storioni copy by Farotti is quite rare. Farotti won numerous medals including gold medals at the Milan exhibition in 1906 and in Turin in 1911. This violin produces a rich, powerful, and structured sound, with a great amount of depth in the lower register and a soaring upper register. This violin has a red-brown varnish, and a subtly flamed 2-piece back which is absolutely stunning. This violin was played by a professional for their career and has not been on the market since Moennig sold it in 1959. This violin would find the perfect home in the hands of a serious player. It has a certificate of authenticity from Moennig