The Goffi Carboni family are heirs to a very long tradition which, now in its sixth generation, is one of the oldest in Italy. Francesco Simonetti, an ancestor of the current proprietors, was granted the licence of silversmith in 1828. Since then, the family has always taken an interest in antique dealing and art, as is evidenced by an excerpt from the Enciclopedia di Roma dalle origini all’anno 2000 (published in 1999 by Franco Maria Ricci) summarizing its history.

Simonetti Attilio, painter and antique dealer (Rome 1843 - 1928). Son of Francesco, silversmith in Via del Corso since 1828 and Carolina Raffaelli, of the renowned mosaicist family, student of Mariano Fortuny, Simonetti is best known as a painter, with studio in Palazzo Altemps. In 1883 he organized a sale, as testified by the catalogue, of antiquities collected during his career and, by reason of the success of the event, decided to become an antique dealer, opening a gallery in Palazzo Simonetti (ex Odescalchi), in Via Vittoria Colonna. Simonetti counted among his clients Baron Barracco and the Palazzo Venezia Museum. His activity was continued by his children Ugo, Aldo (in a branch in Piazza Barberini), Emma and nice Celeste, wife of Manlio Goffi, who opened his own gallery in Via San Nicola da Tolentino in 1935. Their daughter, Giovannella, together with his husband Ubaldo Carboni (Goffi Carboni Antiquariato), moved the gallery to Piazza Augusto Imperatore in 1967 and to Via Margutta in 1997.

From Enciclopedia di Roma dalle origini all’anno 2000, Franco Maria Ricci Editore, Milano 1999