This is an A. Dieudonne Violin made in Mirecourt in about 1933. Amédée Dominique Dieudonné is a French luthier who specializes in copying the works of Cremona masters.
A. Dieudonne Violin made in Mirecourt in about 1933
Amédée Dominique Dieudonné is a French luthier born in Mirecourt in the Vosges department on August 6, 1890. Since Amédée Dominique Dieudonné’s father Albert Dieudonné is a luthier, he developed his skills in the Darche workshop in Brussels under the tutelage of Gustave Bazin.
He started his own workshop and became a luthier after the First World War in Mirecourt where he specializes in copying the works of Cremona masters. Varnishing is his most notable expertise in violin making. Amédée Dominique Dieudonné died in February 1, 1960.
William Henry Dow was born in Scotland in 1834 and moved to Australia in 1855 to work as a pattern maker at Langlands Port Phillip Foundry in Melbourne. Initially a hobby, he began making violins in his workshop in South Melbourne and received medals for his work at national exhibitions. After retiring from patternmaking, he devoted himself to creating instruments and made over 200 violins by his death in 1928. It is still being determined how many instruments Dow made, as he only started numbering them when he was satisfied with their quality. One of his violins is on display at the Powerhouse Museum in Sydney.
Please get in touch with Animato Strings on 07 3876 3877 if you want this violin.
Introducing the Maurice Bourguignon Violin made in 1927 in Brussels. Maurice Bourguignon is a French luthier who received several awards, medals, and diplomas for his work in various exhibitions. He was known for his very refined work in classical models characterized by a good red varnish.
This is a French violin by Paul J. B. Chipot, made in 1926. Paul John Baptiste Chipot, the son of Chipot-Vuillaume, was a French luthier who established his own workshop in Vendome in 1923.
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.
Léon Bernardel (1853–1931) learned violin making under his father, Ernest Auguste Bernardel, and later worked with Derazey before joining the family’s shop, Gand et Bernardel Frères. In 1899, he established his firm, collaborating with his son, Léon (II). Bernardel’s violins are highly celebrated for their rich, warm tone and exceptional projection, a result of his innovative craftsmanship and attention to detail. His instruments remain sought after by musicians and collectors, and his work continues to inspire luthiers to this day.
This is the Barbet & Granier dated 1879 Violin from Marseille France. Charles Barbet and Edmund Granier of Marseille were at the forefront of outstanding makers at the turn of the 19th century.
Bearing the label "Laurentius Bellafontana fecit Genuae Anno Domini 1943," this violin is the work of Lorenzo (Laurentius) Bellafontana (1906–1979), a distinguished member of the Genoese school and a pupil of Oreste Candi. The Latin label translates to "Laurentius Bellafontana made [this] in Genoa in the year of Our Lord 1943" and includes his characteristic LBG monogram and handwritten signature. Bellafontana's violins are admired for their refined craftsmanship, warm Italian tone, elegant design, responsive playability, and rich orange-red varnish, making them highly regarded examples of 20th-century Italian violin making.
