Old and good sounding European violins from the 17th through the 20th century, mostly oil-varnish type

Rare and fine violins and bows with top expert certificates

Fine violin bows:

A violin bow Joseph A Lamy: Joseph Alfred Lamy did his early apprenticeship in Mirecourt with Claude Charles Nicolas Husson, where the Vuillaume-Voirin school was probably the dominant influence. After an eight-year period in Château-Thierry, where Lamy formed a friendship with Joseph Voirin, he moved to Paris in 1876 to work for Voirin's older brother François Nicolas and became his assistant. After F.N. Voirin's death in 1885 Lamy opened his own shop, and in his early years there he relied heavily on a Vuillaume model that bears strong similarities in execution to Voirin's work. Lamy's work soon made a strong impression, and Eugène Sartory is known to have observed and absorbed the salient features of his style and workmanship.

A violin bow by Nicholas Bazin: Son of Mirecourt bowmaker François Xavier Bazin, Charles Nicolas Bazin inherited the family workshop in 1865 following his father's death from cholera. Charles Nicolas was only 18 at the time, but already had ample experience from his father's training, and the shop flourished under his leadership. He supplied bows to numerous shops in Paris, including Joseph Hel and Collin-Mézin. Over the ensuing four decades Bazin's shop employed many of Mirecourt's finest makers, producing thousands of high-quality bows of remarkable consistency. After his retirement in 1907, Bazin's son Charles Louis gradually took the lead, while Charles Nicolas remained a presence in the shop until his death in 1915.

Georges Barjonnet viola bow Georges Emile Barjonnet is one of the most underappreciated French bow makers of the 20th century. He spent his career working for other bow makers and firms, including Emile August Ouchard, Eugène Cuniot-Hury, the Thibouville-Lamy firm and finally Roger Gerome. Bows which bear his stamp are unusual: this has meant that his very fine work has gone less noticed than that of his peers.

Prices upon enquiry

Fine and rare violins for serious buyers:

A violin byCeleste Farotti: Celeste Farotti, born Celeste Farotto, became interested in violin making around 1895 at the age of 31. After some amateur experimentation, he was encouraged to move to Milan. He soon became successful as a restorer, dealer and maker, and by 1906 he asked his brother Salvatore to join him in the shop to assist with roughing out his instruments. After WWI, Celeste's nephew Celestino and Alfred Lanini joined the brothers in the workshop, which became quite prolific.

His preferred models were Rocca, Pressenda, and a personal interpretation of the two, but he also made exquisite copies of instruments by numerous other makers, few of which bear his label. Materials are good and vary in age, especially those used for his copies. His personal work features low archings and elongated scrolls, and the varnish is often either a golden-yellow or vivid red

A violin probably by Stefano Scarampella: Younger brother of Giuseppe Scarampella, Stefano Scarampella was born in Brescia in 1843 and later worked in Mantua. A carpenter by trade, he only took up violin making seriously around 1890, and his fully mature body of work dates from about 1902 to 1915. In 1919, he began to teach Gaetano Gadda, who was his only true student and supported his teacher financially in his final years. Scarampella's violins, like Giuseppe's, are usually built on Guarneri models, but he also followed Stradivari and Balestrieri from time to time. Overall his approach shows irreverent spontaneity and creativity, and most instruments possess a powerful, attractive sound, making them of great interest to players. The quality of craftsmanship and materials varies considerably, but can be quite fine.