"De Bonis Family: Rediscovering an ancient dynasty of Bisignano luthiers" by Lorenzo Frignani, Yuri Crusco and Giuseppe Mangia
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In recent years, renewed attention has been given to the great figures of Italy’s historical guitar-making tradition. Yet, until now, a comprehensive study of the De Bonis luthiers—one of the oldest dynasties in Italy and Europe—had been missing. This book fills that gap, offering long-overdue recognition to a family that stands at the very heart of Italian lutherie.
Drawing inspiration from Il legno che canta by Mario Grimaldi and Maestro Angelo Gilardino—who urged scholars to give the De Bonis family the research they deserve—this publication continues that mission, combining historical rigor with cultural passion.
The story unfolds in Bisignano, a town known since ancient times for its artisans, celebrated in the saying: “Bisignano: chitarrari e pignatari”—“guitar makers and potters.” These crafts, rooted in centuries of tradition, have been passed down through generations in the neighboring districts of Humale (today’s Giudecca) and Santa Croce. While the city’s potters were recorded by its earliest historians, the work of Bisignano’s luthiers only began to surface in the early nineteenth century.
Through meticulous research, this book traces the De Bonis family back to the early 1700s—nearly a century earlier than previously believed—and reveals that Bisignano’s lutherie tradition was never confined to a single family. Just as the potters did, the luthiers intertwined their destinies through marriages between artisan families, ensuring the continuity of their craft. Alongside the renowned De Bonis dynasty, the Ferraro, Liguori, Clausi, and Cariati families also played vital roles, forming a close-knit community within the Giudecca quarter—aptly known as the “luthiers’ street.”
Bound by mutual support and shared identity, these artisans formed what could be seen as an unofficial guild—an enduring testament to the spirit of collaboration and devotion that shaped the history of Italian guitar making.
