Instrument Type: Violin
Circa: 2006
Asking Price: SOLD
Maker: Eric Benning
The Violin
Eric Benning built this Guarneri violin in Los Angeles in 2006. He worked from a Guarneri model that his great-uncle, Carl Becker, passed down to him. The two-piece Bosnian maple back shows deep, medium-wide flames rising from the center. Matching maple forms the ribs and scroll. The Bavarian spruce top carries dramatic hazel-spruce markings.
The tone is powerful and rich, with excellent projection and clarity. In addition, the response is immediate and articulate across all registers. The back measures 35.2 cm.
In 2006, Eric Benning finished this Guarneri violin one year after his last violin with Carl Becker Jr. So it shows the Becker school carried forward on his own bench. The classic Becker-style varnish, a deep red-brown over a golden ground, makes that link plain. Pernambuco fittings by Eric Meyer add a refined touch.
For a soloist, presence and definition matter most. That is why this 2006 Guarneri violin by Eric Benning suited stage work so well. It gave a performer a professional-caliber voice with a clear family history. Few modern violins carry the Becker story this directly.
The Maker
Eric Benning is a third-generation luthier. His great-uncle, the acclaimed American maker Carl F. Becker Jr., trained him in the Becker tradition.
That training still shapes his outlines, his varnish and his sense of tone. However, Benning also brings a modern approach to tonal excellence.
Today he serves as house luthier at Benning Violins. Violinists around the world play his instruments, and his output now passes 145 handcrafted stringed instruments. Within that body of work, Eric Benning’s 2006 Guarneri violin holds a special place in the family story.
Terms of Sale
This violin has sold, so it is no longer available for purchase. Benning Violins invites you to browse our current catalog of fine instruments. You can also contact us directly to ask about similar pieces.