. Andrea Postacchini (1781 - 1862),

  "Not less than Stradivarius as a lute-maker".
We find this quote about Andrea Postacchini in a 1862 print, year of his death.
The International Violin Competition is named after this Andrea Postacchini, who was born in Fermo, lived there between the XVIII and XIX centuries and was already considered in his time as "the Marche's Stradivarius" or "the angel of violin". We can still admire his outstanding violins, with their powerful and smooth sound, and also his violas, cellos, contrabasses, guitars and bows.
Born on November 30th 1781, he worked at his creations in the workshop of number 3 of via delle Vergini, making refined instruments both for their esthetical beauty and the characteristics of their sound: soft, round but at the same time potent and selective. Qualities much valued by soloists at his times as well as nowadays.
The original label that Postacchini applied to his late works, the most appreciated and valuable, bring the wording "Andrea Postacchini Firmanus fecit sub titulo S. Raphaelis Arcang. 18..".
Like those of Stradivarius, some of Postacchini's techniques and "secrets", making his works unimitable, are still ignored. We refer in particular to the original elastic varnishes, of beautiful brown-red and gold-yellow colours and still in perfect conditions after 150 year, whose formula has gone with him to the grave.
  Carmela Marani, journalist.

  "Andrea Postacchini " was born in Fermo on November 30th 1781.
He learned his first violin making rudiments from an unknown friar and was then destined to priesthood. His ecclesiastic carrier was interrupted by the Napoleonic turmoil. In 1815 he was already "an outstanding maker of string instruments", in 1824 he signed a violin as his own work nr. 214.
At Fermo, in his workshop of via delle Vergini, he made string instruments, guitars, bows and also restaured them. His production was characterized by the accurate choice of the woods, the elegance of the curves and the fine varnishes he used, typically gold-yellow or brown-red. This built his reputation as an excellent violin maker when he was still living; his works, much appreciated for their beautiful sound, soon commanded high prices and were traded all over Europe.
His late production bears the label "Andreas Postacchini Firmanus fecit sub titulo S. Raphaelis Arcang. 18..".
After his death in Fermo, on February 3th 1862, Postacchini was named "the Marche's Stradivari".
He is nowadays considered as a top class Italian violin maker of the XIX century.
  Claudio Giovalè, journalist.

  Bronze medal,
assigned to "Andrea Postacchini and Sons" by the Competence Commission, appointed by the Sorter Com-mission, of the Agricultural Industrial and Artistic Provincial Exhibition held in Fermo in September 1869 with 486 exhibitors.
The sons of Andrea Postacchini participated in the Class VIII. Industry and Special Manufactures - Art. III. (precision works, watches, geometric tools and of the metric system, musical instruments) with two violins of the lute-maker died in 1862, "worked in imitation of those of Antonius Stradiverius", as mentioned in the catalogue of the exhibition, still preserved in the Civic Library "Romolo Spezioli" of Fermo.