Albanelli, Franco

Born in 1933 in Castel San Pietro, a town located twenty kilometers east of Bologna, Franco Albanelli was already active as a luthier during the 1950s. His style has a strong Bolognese imprint and is closely inspired by the work of Gaetano Pollastri, of which Albanelli defined himself as a student in the labels of his instruments. The model of the sound-box, of the head and of the slightly angular F-holes with oval eyes are in fact typical of this school, and the style of Pollastri is also followed in the inlay of the purfling, which meets at the center of the corner deviating only the "bee-sting" towards the inside of the C-bouts. Albanelli's production, consisting mainly of violins, was not very conspicuous but was continued until the last years before his death, which took place in San Lazzaro di Savena in 2007.