Born in 1877 in Colunga, near Bologna, Augusto Pollastri came from a humble and numerous family. He was sent to work from an early age as an apprentice to the famous luthier Raffaele Fiorini, then already established at Palazzo Pepoli in Bologna. Due to the worsening of his master's health, starting from the 1890s his role in the workshop became increasingly important. In 1898, after Fiorini's death, Pollastri set up a workshop in his home, which he occupied together with his brother Gaetano, who at that time was active as a violinist.
The production of Augusto was very small in quantity, also due to his premature death and the fact that he was also a fine restorer of old instruments: he made just over 50 violins, 5 violas and 5 cellos. The quality was instead always excellent, expressing a very accurate but warm and spontaneous style. The model is that of his original design, inspired by Amati but with the upper bout that widens more towards the top; the F-holes, also of a personal design, have stems wide in the center and very tapered in their sections adjacent to the eyes, which are cut in a teardrop shape; the head has a wide volute with the eye displaced towards its back; the varnish, usually red-brown in color, is of excellent quality and a soft texture. Augusto Pollastri achieved the international fame he deserved for the quality of his work during his life time already and is today considered one of the greatest Italian luthiers of the twentieth century.