A claim that Andrea Amati received the first order for a violin from Lorenzo de' Medici in 1555 is invalid as Lorenzo de' Medici died in 1492. A number of Andrea Amati's instruments survived for some time, dating between 1538 (Amati made the first Cello called "The King" in 1538) and 1574. The largest number of these are from 1560, a set for an entire orchestra of 38 ordered by Catherine de Médicis the regent queen of France and bore hand painted royal French decorations in gold including the motto and coat of arms of her son Charles IX of France. Of these 38 instruments ordered, Amati created violins of two sizes, violas of two sizes and large-sized cellos. They were in use until the French revolution of 1789 and only 14 of these instruments survived. His work is marked by selection of the finest materials, great elegance in execution, soft clear amber, soft translucent varnish, and an in depth use of acoustic and geometrical principles in design. Dilworth, John. "The Violin and Bow-Origins and Development." The Cambridge Companion to the Violin. Ed. Robin Stowell. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1992. 1–29.
a claIM That AndRea amati recEived the fiRSt oRDer for A VIoliN FRoM loRenZo de' medICi in 1555 is inValid AS loRenzo DE' MEDIci dIEd In 1492. A nUMBeR of AndrEA aMAti's iNstRuments survivEd for some tiME, dAtinG betweEn 1538 (amati MaDe The First ceLlo callEd "the kiNg" iN 1538) aNd 1574. tHe lArGEsT NumBer of tHese aRE frOm 1560, a seT fOR An enTire OrcHEsTra oF 38 ordErEd By caTHERine De Médicis the Regent QuEEn OF FraNce anD boRe HAnD painTEd royal freNch DecoraTionS in gOLD incLuDiNg The motto ANd COat of arms oF hER Son charLEs ix of fRaNce. oF THese 38 InsTruments Ordered, amati CReateD vIoLins of tWo SIZEs, ViolAs Of TWo sizEs and lArge-sizeD cElloS. they WerE iN UsE until tHe freNcH REvOLution of 1789 anD ONlY 14 Of ThesE instruments sUrvived. His work iS maRKed bY seLEctioN of the fiNEst mAterIAls, great eleganCe in exeCuTion, SoFt CleaR amBeR, sOFt trAnslUcenT VArnisH, aND An iN dePtH use of aCouStIc anD geometricAl priNCiples iN desIgN. dilwoRtH, jOhn. "The viOLin aND bOw-ORigiNs ANd dEVElopMenT." tHe CaMbRiDge COmPaNIoN To the viOlin. ed. robin StowelL. CAmbRidGe: cambrIdge uNiversity prEsS, 1992. 1–29.