Santo Serafin – Violin Maker (1699 – 1776)

Santo Serafin was born in 1699 in Udine, Friuli, close to Venice and may have received his initial training there with Francessco Goffriler before moving to Venice in 1721. His earliest labels date from 1725, although he had not yet established his own workshop, thus suggesting that he was working in other Venetian workshops. In 1733 Serafin was admitted to the guild, and  established his own workshop in Venice in the Calle dei Stagneri, in proximity to where all the reputable violin makers lived and worked. 

Some deem his earliest work as an independent maker as his finest, with a defined melding of Amati, Stainer and Venetian influences. Serafin’s instruments are characterized by their elegance, physical beauty, and excellent quality materials. Serafin’s cellos are highly sought after, almost as much as his contemporaries, Domenico Montagnana and Matteo Goffriller. 

In 1744, Serafin closed his workshop and retired from violin making. *The date of his death is debated, ranging from 1758-1776.