Marino Capicchioni
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Marino Capicchioni (28 June 1895 – 19 October 1977) was an Italo-Sammarinese musical instrument maker.[1] Long based in Rimini, his instruments have been played by Salvatore Accardo, David Oistrach, Mstislav Rostropovich and Yehudi Menuhin, among others.[2]
Capicchioni was born in Santa Mustiola in the Republic of San Marino on 28 June 1895. At an early age, he began working as a local carpenter as a cooper, as well as a woodcarver and furniture maker. He later developed an interest in instrument making and constructed several guitars. He completed his first violin when he was 24.
In 1929 he permanently established himself in Rimini where he opened his own workshop. He participated in numerous exhibitions and competitions all over Italy and was praised and recognized for his talent: in 1931 he won the gold medal at the Padua Exposition, and in 1937 he received an honorable mention and a silver medal for his quintet exhibited in the Cremona competition during the Stradivari Bicentenary.
The Vannes Universal Dictionary of Violinmakers quotes that in 1948 Capicchioni had already made 350 violins, 10 violas, and 20 violoncellos.
In the middle of the 1940s, his son Mario began working with him and shared in his business until the Master's death.
The Republic of San Marino dedicated a square to Marino Capicchioni and erected a monument by the sculptor Marina Busignani Reffi in his honor.[3]
