Lambert-Humbert Frères was a well-known violin manufacturer in Mirecourt from 1876 to 1969. They produced various instruments from reputable makers like Joseph Aubry and Georges Apparut. The company changed to L.F.M. in 1919 and obtained the prestigious brand “A La Ville de Cremone” in 1927. Unfortunately, the industry declined in the mid-20th century, leading to the closure of all major firms by the 1960s, including Laberte.
Lambert-Humbert Frères was a prominent violin manufacturer in Mirecourt from 1876 to 1969, producing a wide range of models and quality levels. The Laberte brothers established the Mirecourt firm in 1876. They produced factory instruments; some were sold with fictitious labels like ‘J. Didelot’.
In the early 20th century, Marc Laberte expanded the selection of high-quality instruments by including those from reputable makers such as Joseph Aubry, Charles Brugere, Camille Poirson, and Georges Apparut.
Apparut became the head of “artistic” production at Laberte’s company in 1902 and stayed until 1923. By 1919, Laberte had approximately 400 employees and changed its name to “Laberte et Magnié” or “L.F.M.” after Fourier Magnié, a violin maker, joined the team. In 1927, the company obtained the prestigious brand “A La Ville de Cremone” from Paul Mangenot.
The Mirecourt instrument-making industry declined in the mid-20th century, leading to the closure of all three significant firms by the 1960s. Laberte was one of the firms that shut down after Philippe Laberte passed away in 1969.
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.
Victor Audinot (1870-1943), also known as Audinot-Mourot, came from a family of luthiers in Mirecourt. Mentored by Francois Chardin and Telesphore Barbé, Audinot was mainly influenced by Barbé, who had honed his skills working for Jean Baptiste Vuillaume in Paris. This experience helped shape Audinot’s successful career in instrument making.
Victor worked in Mirecourt, known for luthier tradition, before moving to Paris to set up his workshop on Rue Truffaut in 1913. He dedicated himself to his craft until retiring in 1936. He passed his expertise to five of his six sons and aspiring luthiers. Renowned for creating exact replicas of classical instruments, he crafted an exceptional copy of the ornately decorated Stradivari violin known as the ‘Sunrise’, showcasing his artistry.
This is a Collin - Mezin violin made in Paris in 1902. Charles Jean Baptiste Collin-Mezin (1841–1923) was a Parisian luthier an Officier de l'Académie des Beaux-Arts and won gold and silver medals in 1878, 1889, and 1900 at the Paris Exhibitions.
This violin is Labelled Collin-Mezin and was made in Paris dated 1911. Charles Jean Baptiste Collin-Mezin came from a line of luthiers where he created various instruments considered superior to other new instruments. This violin is most likely an early copy.
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.
This is a Henri Farny violin made around 1910 and imported from Mirecourt, France to the USA with a label. Henri Farni’s works were mostly imported by Rembert Wurlitzer from Mirecourt, France to Cincinnati and New York USA.
French violin c. 1900 Features:
• Medium dark reddish brown varnish
• Yellow and black striped purfling both at the front and back
• A unique and remarkable drawing symbol at the upper center part of the back
This exceptional French violin is a masterpiece crafted by the renowned luthier Jean Baptiste Colin in Mirecourt, Paris, back in 1901. The violin's exceptional characteristics contribute to the continued popularity of his violins in modern times.
