Based on its label, this French trade violin is from Jean-Baptiste Vuillaume (7 October 1798 – 19 March 1875) a French luthier, born in Mirecourt, France. His father and grandfather were both luthiers which explains his interest in violins and other stringed instruments. He later joined various workshops when he moved to Paris in 1818. One in particular is the workshop of Simon Lete, the son-in-law of François-Louis Pique at Rue Pavée St. Sauveur. Their partnership led them to settle in Rue Croix-des-Petits-Champs in 1825 under the name of "Lété et Vuillaume."However, his first labels are dated 1823.
He became a great inventor and winner of various awards such as a silver medal at the Paris Universal Exhibition in 1827. He started his own business at 46 Rue Croix des Petits-Champs became the most important workshop in Paris, creating over 3000 instruments.
Marc Laberte (1880–1963) was trained as a violin maker and joined the family company in 1911. By 1919, the Laberte firm had around 400 craftsmen and was successful. However, the war in 1942 devastated the business, leading to its closure. Despite this, Laberte was known for his exceptional instruments and bows, earning several honours and medals.
This violin has the original Marc Laberte label and bears the number #3010. A second label states Grand Prix Paris 1931, Exposition Internationale Bruxelles 1935 Membre Du Jury, and Exposition Internationale New York 1939. The prices they won before and during the start of the world war 2.
Check out this Didier Nicolas Violin made around 1780 in Mirecourt, France. Didier Nicolas is a French luthier who owns the workshop D. Nicolas Aine, one of the most successful violin companies in Mirecourt during the late 1700s and 1800s.
The 1927 Collin-Mezin violin is a masterpiece crafted in the renowned Collin-Mezin Workshop, established in the 19th century by Charles Jean Baptiste Collin-Mezin in Paris. After passing in 1923, his son, Charles Collin-Mezin Jr., took over the workshop. In 1925, the workshop moved to Mirecourt, France. Known for producing vibrant instruments with outstanding sound flexibility, the workshop's tradition continues with the 1927 Collin-Mezin violin.
This violin was made under the supervision of French violin maker Paul Jombar in Paris in the year 1920. Paul Jombar is a French violin maker born in Saint-Quentin. He set up his own workshop in 1892 at 20, rue Rochechouart in Paris.
This violin was made by Emile L'Humbert in Paris in 1926. Emile L'Humbert is a French luthier (1872-1933) who became a pupil of Derazey and Mougenot and was a worker of Blanchard in Lyon.
This is a Breton Mirecourt Violin made around 1900. Stamped internally Breton, Brevete, De S.A.R.M.e. Francois Breton was a French violin maker in Mirecourt, France who was Duchesse d’Angouleme’s personal luthier.
This is a French JTL Virtuoso Violin Copy (c 1900) of Francisco Ruggieri dated 1671. Ruggieri was a skilled instrument maker from a renowned family of luthiers in Cremona, Italy. JTL represents Jérôme Thibouville-Lamy & Cie, a French musical instrument manufacturing company established by Louis Emile Jérôme Thibouville and Marguerite Hyacinthe Lamy in the early 1900s.
We have here a Collin - Mezin Violin made in Paris in 1911. Charles Jean Baptiste Collin-Mezin is a French violin maker who started at a young age under the tutelage of his father, Claud-Nicolas Collin. His own workshop started in 1867 at the 14 and 18 rue du Faubourg Poissonnièr in France.