Carlo Antonio Testore

History

Carlo Antonio Testore (c. 1688 – after 1764) was a Milan-based violin maker who carried forward his family's craft into the mid-18th century. The eldest son of Carlo Giuseppe Testore, he trained under his father before establishing his own reputation during an active period from approximately 1735-1765. Working from the family's traditional location in Milan's Contrada Larga at the sign of the Eagle, Carlo Antonio eventually brought his son Giovanni into the business, creating a three-generation dynasty of instrument makers.

The Testore family's prominence in Milan violin making spanned roughly eight decades (c. 1680-1760), as documented in Willibald Leo Lütgendorff's Documentary Dictionary of Violin Makers. Workshop labels from Carlo Antonio's instruments, including examples from 1736, 1741, and 1764, preserve not only the family lineage but also their consistent presence at the Contrada Larga address, providing valuable historical documentation of this important violin-making tradition.

Craft

• Innovation: His own model is large and heavy of aspect. His works differ from those of his father, Carlo Giuseppe Testore, by their larger pattern and higher arching.
  
  
• Materials: He used excellent wood, though not always finely figured, and consistently employed very good wood in his instruments.
  
  
• Methods: Carlo Antonio Testore made his violins on the Guarneri pattern, and also copied models by Nic. Amati, Guarneri del Gesu, and occasionally Stradivari. His instruments are described as bold and well made, with good workmanship. He applied varnish that was either golden-yellow or a rather thick brown colour.

Influence

• Training and Mentorship: He was the son and pupil of Carlo Giuseppe Testore.
  
  
• Schools/Tradition: He worked on the models of prominent makers such as Nic. Amati, Guarneri del Gesu, and occasionally Stradivari.
  
  
• Notable Associations: Carlo Antonio Testore was associated with his son Giovanni, as indicated by a label from 1764.

Legacy

• Modern Recognition: His instruments are considered excellent and valued for their craftsmanship and tonal qualities.

Further Information

• Technical Characteristics: The varnish on his instruments is golden-yellow in colour, or sometimes a rather thick brown. His own models are large and heavy of aspect, and the sound holes, designed after the Guarneri manner, are very open. An eagle is branded on his string musical instruments, in addition to the label. His works are distinctive from his father's due to their larger pattern and higher arching.

Summary

Carlo Antonio Testore, born around 1688 and active until after 1764, was a prominent Milanese violin maker and the eldest son and pupil of Carlo Giuseppe Testore. He established his workshop in Milan's Contrada Larga, identified by the sign of the Eagle. Known for crafting instruments of high quality, he often adopted the patterns of Guarneri and Amati, and occasionally Stradivari. His instruments, including violoncellos and altos, are characterized by excellent wood, good workmanship, a powerful tone, and distinctive golden-yellow or thick brown varnish. His unique models are noted for their larger pattern and higher arching compared to his father's works, and open sound holes in the Guarneri style. He also associated with his son Giovanni in his later years.