Charles Gaillard was an apprentice of the prominent French violinmaker and restorer, Charles Adolphe Gand. His tutelage allowed Gaillard to develop a keen eye for fine craftsmanship and indeed, his violins are often noted for their beautiful designs and superior finishes. He favored a natural approach to varnishing, his instruments typically free of shading and artificial ageing. This violin shows his characteristic orange-brown finish, with a reddish tinge here and there.
The violin dates from his residency at 20 rue Notre-Dame de Rouvrance in Paris, where he established independently.
We have here a Labelled Amedee Dieudonne violin made around 1946 in Mirecourt, France. Amedee Dieudonne is a French luthier who specialized in copying Cremona Masters and was able to achieve a superior varnishing technique.
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.
This is the Paul Kaul violin made in France dated 1918. Paul Kaul is a French violin maker who joined several workshops such as Thibouville Lamy, Silvestre and Maucotel, Vuillemin-Didion. He started several workshops on rue Racine, Nantes in 1907, rue du Pont Communeau in 1908, and at 130 Boulevard Brune in 1926.
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.
Moretti Egidio transitioned from cabinetmaking to violin making in 1924-1928. During 1945-1955 in Lavagna, Genoa, his instruments were known for their accuracy and good varnish, with two different labels used - handwritten and printed.