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.
Paul Kaul (1875 – 1951) is a French violin maker born in Mirecourt (Vosges) in 1875. His father was employed in Jerome Thibouville Lamy’s workshop to varnish instruments. At the age of thirteen, he began as an apprentice in the same workshop his father was working.
After serving the French army, he joined Thibouville Lamy’s workshop at the age of twenty-four in 1899 in Paris. Kaul left Thibouville in 1900 to join Silvestre and Maucotel in Paris. He worked there for five years (1900-1905) and then he went to Nantes to join Vuillemin-Didion’s workshop. After 2 years Kaul established his own workshop in 1907 on rue Racine, Nantes. You can find violins bearing his name on that particular year. Then he moved to rue du Pont Communeau in 1908.
He met Luien Capet in 1917, a violinist who had a hugely important influence on the professional life of Kaul. Kaul then moved to Paris in 1926, where he placed his workshop at 130 Boulevard Brune. His final relocation is at Rue de Rome before he died in 1951 in Vesinet-le-Pec (Seine et Oise).
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.
POA This violin, attributed to Anselmo Bellosio (1743-1793) in Venice, was acquired by Animato Strings and features previous repairs, including a new bass bar installed by A. Eisenstein in New York, as noted in a 1944 magazine clip. After cleaning and minor seam repairs, it produces a rich, full sound and is available for sale. Born into a family of organ makers, Bellosio began crafting violins around 1770 and took over Giorgio Serafin’s workshop in 1777. This particular instrument, dated 1768, reflects his early craftsmanship and notable deep tone, marking him as a significant figure in the 18th-century Venetian violin-making tradition before his passing at 50.
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.
This is an Old German Violin made probably in Germany in the mid 19th century. Repaired professionally by Animato Strings and is now in very good playing condition.
A violin made and labelled in 1917 by Leandro Bisiach (1864 – 1945) of Milan, an Italian violin maker born in Casale Monferratos, known as the father of violin makers in the Bisiach family.
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.
