Carlo Giuseppe Testore

History

Carlo Giuseppe Testore (1660-1738) was born in Novara and became active in Milan from approximately 1683. He settled in Milan around 1687, residing and working in the Contrada Larga, where his shop was identified by the sign 'al segno dell’aquila' (at the sign of the eagle). Sources contain conflicting information regarding his death date, with Karel Jalovec indicating 1737. He worked in Milan until about 1720 and was succeeded by his son, Carlo Antonio, who also became a violin maker.

Craft

• Workmanship: He is considered the best maker of his family, with work that could rival that of his teacher, Giovanni Grancino. George Hart describes the work in his best instruments as highly finished, while Cecie Stainer notes that his violins, though showing good strong work, were not highly finished and were plain in appearance. Karel Jalovec states that each specimen is distinguished by a peculiar touch of its own, and that the wood, while not always fine-looking, was always finished with care.
• Models & Arching: He worked on various models, including those of Nicolo Amati, Guarneri, Gofr. Cappa, and Ant. Stradivari. His arching is described as fine and low, characteristic of the Milanese school, and reminiscent of Nicolo Amati.
• Scrolls: A distinguishing feature of the Testore scroll is its oval form, elongated along the line of the neck, contrasting with the vertically rotated oval tendency of Grancino's scrolls. Henri Poidras notes that the scroll is not graceful, and Karel Jalovec describes his delicately carved scrolls as often too small. Scrolls were made of beech or maple.
• Purfling: The purfling was often quite broad, sometimes with a core of beech wood.
• Materials: Materials were generally of good quality, sometimes featuring beautifully regular flame in the backs. For his violoncellos, he often used plain backs of willow or pear wood, and for the bellies, very fine wood.
• Varnish: His varnish is described as rich yellow with a fine texture by John Dilworth. Other descriptions include brown-yellow, golden-yellow, red-yellow, pale red, or dry brownish-yellow. His contrabasses and 'cellos were coated with a red-brown or hard red varnish.
• Soundholes: Henri Poidras notes that his sound holes were elongated but of a regular design and cut.
• Tone: The tone of his instruments is generally described as good, noble, and far-carrying, sometimes very powerful and penetrating. His violoncellos and contrabasses are particularly noted as outstanding concert instruments with powerful tone.

Influence

• Mentorship: He was a pupil of Giovanni Grancino, and Willibald Leo Lütgendorff suggests he may also have been a pupil of Cappa.
• Stylistic Influences: His work shows the influence of both Amati and Stradivari, and he copied Guarneri with singular ability. He worked on the models of Nicolo Amati, Guarneri, Gofr. Cappa, and Ant. Stradivari.

Legacy

• Family Continuity: He was succeeded in his craft by his sons, Carlo Antonio and Paolo Antonio, both of whom became violin makers.
• Notable Instruments: A double-bass made by Carlo Giuseppe Testore was famously played by the celebrated Bottesini at concerts, noted for its splendid tone. The well-known Lindley 'Grancino' violoncello, when repaired in 1844 by Andreas Engleder of Münich, revealed an original label identifying it as a work by Testore.
• Attribution Issues: Despite being considered the best maker in his family, not many violins by him are known, as his instruments are often mistaken for those of Giovanni Grancino or even Cappa.

Further Information

• Workshop Location: He worked in Milan, specifically in the Contrada Larga, under the shop sign 'al segno dell’aquila' (at the sign of the eagle).
• Labels: Known labels include 'Carlo Giuseppe Testore allievo / di Gio. Grancino in Contrada / Larga di Milano, 1690' and 'Carlo Giuseppe Testore in Con / trada larga di Milano, al / segno dell’aquila, 1710'. Another label reads 'Carlo Giuseppe Testore in Contrada larga di Milano al segno deir aquila, 1700'.
• Unproven Claims: A claim that he also worked in Cremona is unproven.

Summary

Carlo Giuseppe Testore (1660-1738) was a prominent Milanese luthier and pupil of Giovanni Grancino, considered the finest maker of his family. Active from around 1683 in Milan's Contrada Larga, his work displayed influences from Amati, Stradivari, and Guarneri, characterized by a fine low arching and distinctive oval scrolls. While his violins were often plain in appearance, his violoncellos and double-basses were particularly esteemed for their powerful tone and quality, despite sometimes utilizing pear or willow wood for backs. His instruments are occasionally misattributed to Grancino or Cappa, and he was succeeded by his sons, Carlo Antonio and Paolo Antonio.