This is a Charles Claudot Violin. The name Claudot was a popular clan of luthiers in France who have been making violins from the 16th up to the 20th century.
The name Claudot was a popular clan of luthiers in France who have been making violins from the 16th up to the 20th century. It started with Charles Antoine (Charles I) Claudot, 1748 – 1804, "Charles" Augustin (Charles II) CLAUDOT, 1794 – 1876, Charles "Paul" Augustin CLAUDOT, 1805 – 1888, "Charles" (III) Basile CLAUDOT 1824 – 1887, and Charles "Félix" CLAUDOT, 1871 – 1906. It was not certain which of these Charles created this violin. According to some sources, Charles "Félix" Claudot and Albert Claudot made a workshop and labeled their violins Charles Claudot.
The Rainer W. Leonhardt 2025 "November Bird" Violin is a handcrafted master violin made in Mittenwald, Germany, featuring a stunning one-piece bird's-eye maple back, a two-piece European spruce top, and a beautifully antiqued dark brown spirit varnish. Built from carefully selected tonewoods and crafted with traditional German craftsmanship, it delivers a warm, responsive tone with excellent projection.
Rainer W. Leonhardt is a fourth-generation master violin maker whose family workshop has been producing fine string instruments since 1926. Based in the historic violin-making town of Mittenwald, Germany, Leonhardt is renowned for combining traditional craftsmanship with exceptional tonal quality, creating instruments that are appreciated by musicians around the world.
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.
We have here a Lillo Salerno Italian violin made in 2019. Lillo Salerno is an Italian luthier born in Sicily, Italy. He went to Cremona Violin Making School then finished his studies in Mittenwald School of Violin Making in Germany in 2005.
Instrument - Violin
Model- Personalized Stradivari
Top - Italian spruce in two pieces
Back - Balkan maple in two pieces
Scroll - From the same wood as the back
Varnish - Oil and amber with a yellow background, red-brown violin.
Notes - The instrument was made with an antique and shows a black bevel on the scroll and points of the bouts.
Lambert-Humbert Frères firm (fl. 1876 – 1969) was a major violin manufacturer in Mirecourt, offering a wide range of models and quality levels, established in 1876 by violin-making brothers Maurice-Emile and Pierre Alexis Auguste Laberte.
This Ryszard Osowski Gold model violin was built in the finest craftsmanship by Ryzard Osowski in Forchheim, Germany, dated 2024.
Ryszard Osowski, born in 1966, is a Polish luthier who moved to Muggendorf, Germany in 1993. Living with his uncle, he learned the local tradition of building stringed instruments and eventually perfected the sound and quality of his instruments after 25 years of experimentation. He now focuses on crafting advanced violins while occasionally creating cellos and violas.
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.
