François Breton, rare French master violin, c. 1830

This classic French master violin by François Breton is a top-tier illustration of the historic Stradivari-oriented style which defined Mirecourt’s violin making in the early 19^th century. As an authentic and powerful-sounding piece by François Breton (whose full name was Joseph-François Breton), this instrument lets us see the excellent artisanal standards which formed the basis for Mirecourt advancing to become one of the foremost centres of European instrument making. Since the name “François Breton” gradually grew into a successful brand in the course of this development and was used by major Mirecourt manufacturers such as JTL and Laberte soon after Breton died in 1837, the large number of “Breton” violins can distort a proper perspective of the man’s own work. Consequently, the violin presented here represents the sophisticated and skilled master who created the instrument at the workshop he founded in 1803 which had become well established by 1830. Outstanding spruce gives the top its inimitable character because of its interesting irregularities, and the finely flamed one-piece back of maple testifies to François Breton’s confident aesthetic and musical choices. The expressive carving of the scroll and the luminous, golden-brown varnish continue to set self-assured accents even 200 years after its creation, whereas traces of use by good musicians and the violin’s charming patina both give it a personal historic note. The luthiers at our workshop found the excellent condition of this very rare François Breton violin compelling, and it is free of cracks and in magnificent shape for its age. Thoroughly set up and made ready to play, this François Breton master violin is warmly recommended because of its large warm sound which blends a pleasantly soft tone with a rich volume.

 

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