Born in Modena in 1870, Pietro Messori was introduced to violin making by Giuseppe Sgarbi, whose workshop he began visiting for advice in 1893. After setting up on his own, in 1905 he worked for a short period with Giuseppe Fiorini, who was based in Munich at the time.
The evolution of his style reflects his training, initially influenced by the models and spontaneity of 19th-century Emilian violin making. Later, through his contact with Fiorini, Messori's taste became more classical, and he began to make violins inspired by Antonio Stradivari and, in particular, Guarneri del Gesù, which differ considerably from the instruments of his early period.
