POLLER.—Mittenwald; eighteenth century. A family of makers. In the labels the name is usually spelt “Boller.”
POLLUSCA, Antonio.—Eighteenth century. Tecchler school of work.
POSCH (Bosch), Antony.—Vienna; 1677-1742. A son, also named Anthony, died in 1749. Violins generally high built. Both makers exhibit the Austrian double eagle on their labels.
POSTACCHINI, Andreas.—Fermo. Two makers of this name dated from Fermo. The earlier died between 1820-30. The instruments are somewhat of Gagliano type and appearance, and are rising in value. The second Andreas died about 1857.
POSTIGLIONE, Vincenzo.—Naples. Born 1835. A very neat workman. Has made some handsome and well-finished violins of Guarneri del Gesù pattern.
PRESSENDA, Giovanni Francesco.—Turin, Alba, Carmagnola. Born 1777. Died 1854. One of the most important Italian makers of the nineteenth century. His violins date chiefly from Turin, but he also worked in Alba and Carmagnola, and possibly for a short period in Marseilles. A well-known repairer told the writer that three instruments by Pressenda dating from the last-named place had passed through his hands. He learned his business in Cremona with Storioni, and went to Turin about 1820. Early specimens of his work are more or less after the pattern of Stradivari, but later he designed a pattern of his own in which he somewhat changed the character of the sound-holes and the style of the arching. The wood of his instruments is nearly always handsome, the majority of the backs in one piece, cut on the quarter. The varnish is lustrous and varies in tint, some of the finest being of a deep mahogany red. A large number of his violins and those of Rocca and other followers were imported into this country by Gioffredo Rinaldi, who wrote a brochure on Pressenda, and violin making in Piedmont. This maker has had a number of clever imitators besides Rocca, who rivals or surpasses him in popularity amongst modern players. Amongst them may be mentioned Fagnola (q.v.).
PSENNER, Johann George.—Eighteenth century. Two makers of this name, both of whom were fair workmen, date from Innsbruck.
PUPUNAT, François Marie.—Lausanne; circa 1830-60. Originally a cabinet maker he became a neat workman. A violin of his make is in the Paris Conservatoire.
RAMBAUX, Claude Victor.—Paris. Born 1806. Died 1871. Worked with Moitessier and later with Thibout and Gand. Began business on his own account in 1838, and was a most skilful repairer of old instruments. His violins and other instruments are finely finished and generally of Stradivari pattern, but he does not seem to have been a very prolific maker. He was the recipient of several medals.
RAMFTLER, Franz.—Munich; nineteenth century. Chiefly a dealer.