Authentication Relevance of Claude’s Birth Certificate (1876)

The civil birth certificate from Crescenzago, dated February 28, 1876, is a foundational document for Valsuani bronze authentication. It establishes the following facts that bear directly on the question of authenticity:

What the Document Proves

• Full legal name: Claudio Francesco Angelo Rocco Valsuani. The initial “C.” in foundry marks corresponds to “Claudio” (Claude in French).
• Father’s identity: Carlo Valsuani, municipal secretary. No “Marcello” appears anywhere in the family record.
• Birth date: 1876. This establishes that Claude was 32 years old when the foundry was established in 1908 (documented on the letterhead “FONDEE EN 1908”), and 23 when he arrived in Paris in 1899 to learn the trade.

Authentication Application

Any auction catalogue or scholarly publication attributing the foundry to “Marcello Valsuani” can be verified against this primary document. The birth certificate confirms that the family line runs Carlo (father) to Claudio/Claude (son), with no Marcello in the genealogy. Bronzes bearing the “C. VALSUANI” stamp are correctly attributed to Claude, the documented founder.