H. Derazey: Fine violin by Honoré Derazey, circa 1880

This fine violin reflects the high standards of Jean-Joseph Honoré Derazey workshop around 1880, the period in which the company – which was one of the most successful workshops in the tradition-oriented instrument-making village of Mirecourt – was transitioning into the hands of Honoré's son Justin Amédée Derazey. Some 40 years before that, Derazey père had returned from Paris, where he had studied under many renowned masters, including nine years he spent within the inner circles of the great Jean-Baptiste Vuillaume, working and refining his art. This ultimately allowed him to achieve major successes with his own businesses from the first day onward and set standards for violin making in his home town. The good Derazey name serves as an implicit promise, one which bears all the more substance because of the many awards it won in national and international exhibitions, and this violin fully honours that promise by offering superior tonal qualities, flawless craftsmanship and a lovely aesthetic. The delicate transparency of the luminously golden-brown oil varnish plays up the fine quality of the tone woods, which is evident in the gentle flames of the one-piece maple back. Interesting traces of use enhance the varnish by telling the tales of the instrument's long history in the hands of professional musicians before it made its way to our workshop, where it was set up with the greatest care and made ready to play. As an authentic Derazey instrument whose provenance is confirmed by the original brand mark inside the body, it has been kept in outstanding condition free of cracks. This violin is a compelling choice with a mature warm sound whose radiant character features a charmingly soft note.

Related instruments:

• Interesting violin by Justin Derazey, circa 1880
• Antique violin from the workshop of H. Derazey
• Fine master violin by Jean-Joseph Honoré Derazey (with a certificate by Hieronymus Köstler)