Carl Becker Sr.

sku Product SKU:  22265

Carl Becker is generally considered the finest modern American violin maker and was the founder of a four generation violin making dynasty, still working today.

He started his career in 1901 under his grandfather Herman Macklett and joined Lyon & Healy the next year working with John Hornsteiner. Much of his career was spent with William Lewis & Sons before starting his own firm with his son Carl Jr. This fine cello is a superb example of his early work.

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Sebastien Bernardel

sku Product SKU:  23790

The Benardel family of violin makers is perhaps the most important and influential in the history of French violin making. Auguste Sebastien Philippe was the founder of the Bernardel dynasty and considered the most important member of the family and one of the greatest of all the Parisian makers. He began his studies in his native Mirecourt. He joined the great Nicolas Lupot (the greatest of all French luthiers) in Paris in 1815 where he continued until 1824. He worked briefly with Gand before opening his own shop in the Rue Croix des Petits Champs where J.B. Vuilaume had already set up his own establishment. He was joined by his sons Ernest and Gustave and continued until his retirement in 1866. This fine and interesting cello bears the makers signature and the date in several places internally. 

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Labeled Pietro Tononi

sku Product SKU:  18276

Possibly Bologna, 18^th century.

 

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Natale Carletti

sku Product SKU:  23821

Although born into a family of violin makers, Natale Carletti was initially a cellist who studied at the Bologna Conservatory. He started working with his father Carlo in 1918 and continued in his workshop along with his brother Nullo, taking over in 1941 upon Carlo’s death. Natale specialized in cellos making over 200 during his sixty year career. This wonderful cello is a real joy to play. The tone is responsive and powerful with an intriguing brilliance. This would be wonderful cello for a top professional.

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Andrea Castagneri *SOLD*

sku Product SKU:  23207

Andrea Castagneri was born in Turin in 1696, but moved to Paris in 1720 becoming very successful as both a maker and dealer. In spite of the fact that he spent almost all of his career in France his instruments maintained many Italian characteristics.

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Silvio Levaggi

sku Product SKU:  23566

One of the finest luthiers working in Cremona today, Levaggi’s instruments are respected for their perfect workmanship and elegant tonal qualities. Before setting up his own workshop in the historic center of Cremona in 2001, he graduated from the Cremona School of Lutherie in 1984 where he studied with Vincenzo Bissolotti, among others. and worked in Genoa with Carlson-Cacciatori-Neumann’s. He has won countless international prizes over the course of his career, and continues to perfect his craft. This cello was made with special wood from Jay Ifshin’s large stock, and was hand selected by Ifshin and Levaggi for aesthetic beauty and sonorous qualities. It has a powerful tone, rich with overtones.

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Jonathan Hai

sku Product SKU:  24018

Jonathan Hai always had a strong interest in all kinds of woodwork, but was especially drawn to woodwork. He graduated from the Cremona violin making school having worked with Scollari and Negroni. Just seven years after graduation he won medals for tone at the Violin Society of America competition in Cleveland in 2018 for a cello and a quartet.

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Carlos Funes Vitanza

sku Product SKU:  22519

Carlos was born in Honduras and came to the U.S. as a child. He made his first stringed instruments in high school on his own. Excited by his early success he went to Cremona, Italy to study violin making at the renowned International violin making school, graduating in 1983. He stayed in Italy as a violin maker before returning to this country over thirty years ago. Even after all these years, his instruments show the finest qualities of the Italian violin makers who influenced him.

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Raymond Melanson

sku Product SKU:  20657

Ray Melanson is one of the most well known of American makers. After working with Hans Nebel, he attended the Salt Lake City violin making school. He taught violin making at the North Bennet St School in Boston. Over the years he has won numerous awards and medals. This beautiful cello has a big resonant sound and is easy to play.

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Haide Lin *SOLD*

sku Product SKU:  23360

Since joining Ifshin Violins in 1986, Haide has one become one of the most respected violin maker in this country. Over the years Haide has won 19 medals and certificates of merit at Violin Society of America competitions. This beautiful cello won a certificate of merit for tone at the 2016 VSA competition. As one would expect, this prize winning cello has a superb tone.

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Daniele Tonarelli

sku Product SKU:  22909, 23543

Since graduating from the school of violin making in Cremona in 1994, Daniele Tonarelli has distinguished himself in a number of competitions around the world. His instruments are modeled after the classic Cremonese masters. He uses a brilliant and transparent varnish, constructing his instruments with carefully selected materials and pays particular attention to their tonal qualities.

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Christopher White *SOLD*

sku Product SKU:  23270

Christopher White studied violin making at the North Bennett Street School in Boston with Ray Melanson. Art Toman and Marilyn Wallin. He went on to work with Samuel Zygmuntowicz and William Monical. He has been a member of the American Federation of Violin and Bow Makers for twenty years and is on its board of governors.

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William Harris Lee

sku Product SKU:  22710

For over forty years, the  William Harris Lee firm located in the historic Fine Arts Building on Michigan Avenue, has been making fine violins violas and cellos. This cello is one of their finest and was made for William Moennig & Sons in Philadelphia to their high standards and includes their certificate of authenticity and a letter. This interesting cello is built on the model of Matteo Goffriller of Venice.

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Dario Vettori *SOLD*

sku Product SKU:  16487

Now in its third generation of violin makers, The Vettori family has become famous for the superb quality of their instruments and are the most prominent makers in Tuscany. Dario II studied with his father Paolo and has had great success as a maker. He is also a professional cellist.

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Andrea Varazzani *SOLD*

sku Product SKU:  21594

Andrea Varazzani has become one of the most respected makers in Cremona. Born in Naples, Andrea graduated from the violin making school in Cremona twenty years ago setting up his own workshop in 2006. We have just received this beautiful cello, modeled after Andrea Amati. Tonally, this cello is evenly balanced and very playable.

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Paul Hart Workshop

sku Product SKU:  22702

Born in Oxford, England, Paul Hart grew up in Provo, Utah. In 1969 at the age of 21, he started studying violin making with Peter Prier in Salt Lake, and by 1974 his skills were so highly developed that he was teaching violin making at the Violin Making School of America in Salt Lake.  For the next five years Paul taught students who were to become some of the most important and influential violin makers in this country,  including Jay Ifshin of Ifshin Violins. Over the years Paul has won numerous awards for his instruments including two gold medals from the Violin Society of America, among many, many others. This beautiful cello was made in 1989 from especially fine  maple provided to Paul especially selected by Jay Ifshin. This superb cello is tonally excellent. The sound is full and warm, even on all four strings and has an easy playability, a real joy to play,

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Francis Kuttner

sku Product SKU:  23672

After college, Francis Kuttner attended the Violin Making School in Cremona graduating in 1978. He stayed on in Cremona working with Francisco Bissolotti. He set up his own workshop in San Francisco in 1978 and went on to a very successful career winning awards and medals from all over the world including three gold medals at Violin Society of America competitions. He served as a judge at a number of competitions as well. Later on, he maintained workshops in both San Francisco and Cremona.

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John Harrison

sku Product SKU:  22307

JOHN HARRISON: VIOLIN MAKER

Over the years we have sold several violins by violin maker John Harrison whose workshop is in Redding, California. We have always admired the tone and craftsmanship of his instruments. Normally one would expect a maker of John’s skill and abilities to have a workshop in a large metropolitan area with easy access to a multitude of musicians and bountiful musical activity. Redding is a town of about a hundred thousand inhabitants, a long drive north of the San Francisco Bay Area. In spite of that John has established an excellent reputation as an award winning violin maker with a following among musicians far beyond his home base.

After four years in the U.S. Air Force, John settled in Redding and by 1976 had developed an excellent reputation as a repairer of string instruments. Forty years ago a client brought John some good quality tone wood and the result was his first violin. Since then he’s made over 200 violins, violas and cellos (about six a year). He has been especially influenced by the work of the great old Italian masters and the highly respected more contemporary makers and teachers like Simon Sacconi among other important influencers. He identifies very much with the Italian school of lutherie.

For a violin maker, one of the best ways to establish a reputation is through international violin making competitions and winning a medal or certificate at an important competition is one of the best ways to attract the attention of discerning string players. One of the most important of those competitions is held every other year by the Violin Society of America (VSA). Hundreds of instruments by top makers from all over the world are entered, and winning an award there is quite an achievement. Over the years John has won three silver medals for tone and numerous certificates of achievement in what is always an intense competition. He’s also won awards at the Violin Makers of British Columbia and the Violin Makers of Arizona International competitions.

John Harrison’s violins, violas and cellos are beautifully crafted using the very finest aged maple and spruce with a superb, transparent varnish. Over the years we’ve been able to offer many fine contemporary Italian violins. John’s instruments share many of their best characteristics both visually and acoustically.  His violins have a full, powerful tone with great depth and warmth and are very responsive and easy to play. Clearly, they have the qualities that many of the top string players are looking for.

After a forty year violin making career, John Harrison has recently decided to retire and we are very fortunate have acquired the collection of his finest violins, a viola and a cello and are pleased to offer them to our clients.
 

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Vittorio Formaggia

sku Product SKU:  23218

Vittoria Formaggia’s family has been working in the field of musical instruments for three generations. Vittorio graduated from the Cremona school of violin making in 1978 having worked with Giorgio Scolari and Morassi. He has had his own workshop in Crema ever since and has won several awards at competitions.

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Luigi Bajoni label *SOLD*

sku Product SKU:  7679

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Giancarlo Stanzani

sku Product SKU:  16995

Giancarlo began violin making at a very early age and studied with Enrico Piretti. He won awards for his cellos at a major competition in Ascoli Piceno. This cello has a wam tone with depth and maturity.

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Stefano Trabucchi

sku Product SKU:  14242

Trabucci began studying violin at age eight and by 14, he was studying violin making at the Cremona school. He studied with Stefano Conia and Massimo Negroni, graduating at age 18. He worked with Marco Nolli for four years before setting up his own workshop. Over the years, he has won numerous awards for his work.

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Andrea Caccia

sku Product SKU:  22510

Andrea Caccia began his career spending time in the workshop of his uncle Mario Gadda who determined that Andrea had a gift for violin making. After ten years in Mario's workshop, Andrea opened his own shop in 2004 and has since become very successful. His work is very personal but follows the Mantua tradition through Gaetano and Mario Gadda back to Gaetano's teacher the great Stefano Scarampella.

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Georgio Martini

sku Product SKU:  16980

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