Carlo Antonio Testore

Carlo Antonio Testore (c. 1687/93—c. 1765) was a Milanese luthier, the eldest son of Carlo Giuseppe Testore. Together with his brother Paolo Antonio, he continued to run their family workshop under the "Eagle Sign" on Contrada Larga in Milan after Carlo Giuseppe passed away. Carlo Antonio's builds, particularly earlier instruments, still displayed some "Grancino canon" traits inherited from his father's work. However, they are much less refined in craftsmanship and visual appearance, often with false purfling on the back and flat-backed pegboxes. Testore was a prolific builder, most active from 1715 to 1745, and produced many violins, violas, and cellos. Despite certain roughness, his instruments have outstanding tonal characteristics, and they are sought-after and treasured these days. In Nov 2005, one of Carlo Antonio's cellos went for over $511,000; auction price records for his violins and violas are well in six figures, too. Musicians who played C.A. Testore instruments include renowned bassist Giovanni Bottesini, Jiří Panocha of the Panocha Quartet (plays a 1743 violin), violinists Stéphanie De Failly, Davide Alogna, and Franziska Pietsch (1751 violin), cellists Luciano Tarantino and Christophe Coin (1758 cello), Kyle Armbrust (1752 viola), and Lawrence Wheeler (1741 viola).