The distinguished and renowned Los Angeles violin shop, Benning Violins, has released their online catalog of the most extensive collection of fine antique and contemporary violins, violas, cellos and bows for sale on the West Coast. The shop, family-owned and operated since 1953, famously maintained Jascha Heifetz’s Guarnerius violin throughout his storied career and is home to master violinmakers Eric and Hans Benning.
Los Angeles, CA. August 27, 2012 – Benning Violins, the distinguished Los Angeles violin shop that has become a mainstay institution providing sales and service to the classical music scene of Southern California, has announced the release of the largest online catalog of fine string instruments and bows on the West Coast. The collection includes more than 50 master-crafted violins alone.
According to Eric Benning, resident master violinmaker and luthier, the release of the catalog was timed to coincide with the recent release of their new state-of-the-art web site. “We’ve had this large stash of antique and contemporary instruments waiting to be fine tuned and photographed,” said Benning. “It isn’t so much that we were holding the cards close to our vests; we wanted to present these instruments for sale to the public in such a way that does justice to them.”
The collection includes violins crafted by Italian masters like Carlo Testore, Nicola Gagliano, Carlo Tononi, Petrus Gaggini, Thomaso Balestrieri and Guiseppe and Stefano Scarampella. Well over 100 violin, viola and cello bows by French masters Eugène Sartory, Jules Fetique, Louis Gillet and others are offered for sale as well as fine crafted violas and cellos.
Included in the catalog are a number of fine instruments crafted by Benning himself, including violins, violas and cellos, as well as two cellos made by Hans and Nancy Benning, the patriarch and matriarch of the recognized violin-making family. Eric Benning’s instruments, rich, powerful and stunning instruments of noble sound and beauty, have become highly collectable over the past decade. They are played by prominent concert artists like violinists Hubert Pralitz, Vincent Houser and Henry Gronnier, violist Paul Coletti and cellist Jonathan Karoly.
While their violin shop specializes in fine, quality, Client Service Manager Laura Phillips is quick to point out that Benning Violins stocks a wide range of instruments suitable for students, amateurs as well as professionals. “Aside from master-crafted instruments, we do carry lesser cost student outfits from a number of different countries that are set up here in our workshop to our specifications,” said Phillips.
“All fine quality instruments, as well as all lower-cost student instruments, can be examined and played at the customer’s leisure in our studio’s private showroom,” said Benning. “We also have a resident artist and professional violinist, Brian Benning, who is able to demonstrate any instrument to a client.”
Aside from offering instruments for sale, Benning Violins sells accessories and specializes in restorations and repairs of fine instruments, performs appraisals, accepts consignments as well as offers a rental program for instruments of all levels.
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