The Testore family is one of the important schools in the violin-making history of Italy, which originated with Carlo Guiseppe.
Carlo Guiseppe Testore was born in Novara in the northeast of Piemonte, Italy in about 1665. He moved to Milan in 1687 to study with Giovanni Grancinoand established his own atelier on a main street called “Contrada Larga” in Milan.
“al segno dell’Aquila (under the sign of an eagle)” written on the label explains that the signboard of his shop held an illustration of an eagle.
His two sons, Carlo Antonio (1688- after 1764) and Paolo Antonio (1690- after 1760), studied with him, and worked as luthiers in Milan. The atelier in Milan was taken over by Carlo’s son Giovanni and Paolo’s son Gennaro in 1760s.
The school of the Testore family put importance on acoustic function and is known for its powerful and practical structure, which has made it loved by many violinists.
This violin, made in 1690, the early stage of his atelier, shows solid influence from Nicolo Amati from Cremona and has delicate refined outlook. Its sound is powerful, and clearly and quickly reaches throughout a large hall.