A Stunning Example of Carl G. Becker Sr. From 1943, Numbered 440.

Carl G. Becker Sr. (1887–1975) was born to a musical family; his father was a violinist and his grandfather, Herman Macklett, was a violin maker. Becker began an apprenticeship with William T. Lane at 13, and completed his first violin at the age of 14. He worked for John Hornsteiner under the auspices of Lyon & Healy from 1902 and followed his mentor when Hornsteiner established his own workshop in 1908, where he remained until 1923 and other American contemporaries such as Voigt & Geiger also honed their crafts. Becker Sr. joined William Lewis & Son in 1924 as master craftsman and foreman of the restoration workshop, a tenure which continued until 1968. His son, Carl F. Becker joined him at William Lewis & Son in 1937, working in close collaboration after returning from military service in 1946. Together, they crafted 770 instruments and established Carl Becker & Son, Ltd., in Chicago in 1968. Carl G. Becker Sr. was a towering figure in American violin making with a legacy woven through decades of craftsmanship, mentorship, and collaboration with notable artisans such as Simone Sacconi.

I am delighted to present this stunning example of Carl G. Becker Sr from 1943, numbered 440. Last sold in 2019, Brobst had described it as the most stunning example they had the pleasure of representing, and I must agree - it is exceptionally lovely.