Gasparo Da Salo, an Italian violin maker, born at Salo, on the lake of Garda, about 1540, died in Brescia about 1614. He was a contemporary of the Amatis, and was one of the first to bring the instruments of the violin family to perfection. His instruments were large in their proportions and of great body and brilliancy of tone, double-purfied, and having large sound holes. In general they were long, having the arch of the belly high and extending almost up to the sides. They resemble in their general characteristics those of Stra-divarius rather than those of the Amatis and their imitators. He excelled in his varnish, which was of a rich brown. He left many violas and double basses. Dragonetti, the great contrabassist, played upon one of his instruments, presented to him by the convent of St. Mark in Venice, to which it was returned on his death. One of the best of his violins is owned by Ole Bull, having figures carved by Benvenuto Cellini. Salo worked at his trade in Brescia for 50 years. A violin of his is extant dated 1566, and another of 1613.