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.
Marc André Joseph Laberte (29 May 1880 – 29 March 1963) was born into a family of violin makers. His great-grandfather started a workshop in Mirecourt around 1780. He married Marie Adeline Josephine Thérèse Drouin on 21 May 1904. After she passed away, he married Geneviève Josephine Paule Francine Thouvenin on 15 April 1912 in Besançon. They had a daughter named Claude on 6 June 1916.
Marc Laberte was a skilled luthier and bow maker who played an active role in the Laberte-Humbert Frères company starting in 1911. The workshop, which employed over 300 people by 1920, produced a wide range of high-quality instruments and bows. The workshop also owned a fine collection of instruments from famous makers, which were used as models for their own instruments. After being disrupted by the war, production resumed until the workshop eventually closed down.
Humbert Frères developed high-quality instruments alongside its “workshop-like” production. Instruments bearing the Laberte Humbert or Marc Laberte label are always of the highest standard. These best instruments were produced by a small team of skilled craftsmen known as “l’Atelier des Artistes”. Georges Apparut was in charge of this “artistic” production.
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.
We have here the Domenico Fantin Violin made in Varese, Italy 1971. Domenico Fantin’s instruments are played in major European and American orchestras. Great soloists like Yehudi Menuhin purchased one of his violins in 1969, and Uto Ughi, who owns two of his instruments.
Collin-Mezin Violin dated 1887. This as an unusual model for a Collin-Mezin violin, but the workmanship, the original label, and Collin-Mezin's authentic signature verify the maker.
Handcrafted in Romanian workshops featuring highly flamed maple back, sides and neck and close-grained Carpathian resonance spruce top.
This 7/8 size violin is labelled Thomas Challoner who worked in Chester, England around 1790. Thomas Challoner was one of the known violin makers in the 18th century.
Manighetti Violin made in 1938 in Turin, Italy
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.
Check out this Ryszard Osowski Violin Model BR with Certificate. Ryszard Osowski is a Polish luthier who was able to gradually perfect the sound and quality of his instruments, concentrating more on building his own stringed instrument, passionately rearing towards crafting highly advanced violins.
