Carlo Antonio Testore (1687–1765) was a Milanese

luthier A luthier ( ; AmE also ) is a craftsperson who builds or repairs string instruments that have a neck and a sound box. The word "luthier" is originally French and comes from the French word for lute. The term was originally used for makers o ...

Life and career

Carlo Antonio Testore was born in

Milan Milan ( , , Lombard: ; it, Milano ) is a city in northern Italy, capital of Lombardy, and the second-most populous city proper in Italy after Rome. The city proper has a population of about 1.4 million, while its metropolitan city h ...

, the son of

Carlo Giuseppe Testore Carlo Giuseppe Testore (c. 1665–1738) was an Italian luthier, who worked in his later life in Milan. Biography Testore was born in Novara. A student of Giovanni Grancino, he went to Milan in 1687 and set up his workshop at the Sign of the Eag ...

, also a noted luthier, and worked in the family's workshop under the "Sign of the Eagle" on Contrada Larga in Milan. The workmanship and appearance of his instruments is considered rough, but the tonal quality is excellent. One of his basses was owned and played by the noted bassist Giovanni Bottesini. He was prolific, and most active as a luthier from 1715 to 1745. His violincellos are highly prized. Testore's brother

Paolo Antonio Testore Paolo Antonio Testore (born 1700 - died 1767) was a Milanese luthier. He was born in Milan, the second son of Carlo Giuseppe Testore, also a noted luthier, and worked out of the family's workshop under the "Sign of the Eagle" on Contrada Larga i ...

was also a luthier, and their sons Giovanni, son of Carlo, and Gennaro(?), son of Paolo, continued the family business in Milan during the 1760s. Jiří Panocha of the

Panocha Quartet The Panocha Quartet ( cs, Panochovo kvarteto) is a Czech string quartet. History The Panocha Quartet was formed at the Prague Conservatory in 1968 from a trio consisting of Jiří Panocha (violin), Jaroslav Hlůže (viola), and Jaroslav Kulhan ( ...

plays a 1743 violin by Carlo Antonio Testore.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Testore, Carlo Antonio 1687 births 1765 deaths Italian luthiers Businesspeople from Milan