Violin made in Mirecourt, circa 1900
This violin has now sold.
About Mirecourt violins
Mirecourt is considered the birthplace of French luthiery. The town in the Vosges area of north-eastern France became a centre for luthiers as early as the end of the sixteenth century and grew rapidly as makers from other areas flocked to join its workshops.
By the dawn of the twentieth century around 80,000 instruments a year were produced in the Mirecourt workshops. Instruments from this period generally display excellent, neat craftsmanship and tone wood of good quality. A rigorous approach to quality control ensured that excellent work was produced despite the sheer volume of output.
About the violin
This violin was made in Mirecourt around 1900. It has a two piece back of fairly highly-figured maple and a two piece front of fine-grained spruce which widens towards the flanks. The varnish is a rich reddish-brown in colour, laid over a lighter ground.
This violin was made in a workshop, meaning that it was made by a number of highly-trained luthiers who each had their own responsibilities within the making process. This practice allowed the workshop to standardise quality whilst making a great many instruments.
Instruments from the Mirecourt workshops at this time are almost always modelled after Stradivari: this violin is no exception. It has a length of back of 358 mm.
How does it sound?
This violin has slightly richer tone than many of its Mirecourt contemporaries, particularly at the lower end. It´s very powerful with a big, rounded sound. This would make a fantastic upgrade to a handmade instrument, or indeed a great forever violin for someone looking for a good all-rounder within budget.
Condition
The violin is in very good condition with no cracks.