Kanigowski Fryderyk, *1814, †2 December 1858 Warsaw, Polish luthier. From 1835, he worked in Warsaw as a teacher and mender. In 1840, he opened his own violin-making workshop, gaining fame especially as a bow designer (he was called the “Polish Tourte”). They were bought by famous virtuosos, including A.-J. Artôt and H.W. Ernst. Kanigowski was also known as a builder of violins and cellos and a master mender; he corrected many excellent instruments (including N. Amati’s from 1653). In 1841 and 1845, he presented his own instruments and bows at exhibitions in Warsaw; Polish and German magazines then published favourable mentions of his art. Kanigowski built his instruments according to Stradivari’s model in the French stylistic version; he also conducted many years of research on Stradivari’s varnish.
Literature: B. Vogel Instrumenty muzyczne w kulturze Królestwa Polskiego, Kraków 1980.
O skrzypcach i innych instrumentach smyczkowych, 1853, published also in German
O instrumentach smyczkowych, “Księga Świata” vol. 2, 1855
