£3,000
A lovely Mirecourt violin with a stunning one-piece birds-eye maple back – in excellent condition and with a great sound.
In the early 20th century the demand for violins was almost insatiable, and times had never been better for the little town of Mirecourt in the Vosges mountains. Unlike the Markneukirchen production of student instruments, which relied largely on piecework by farmers unoccupied during the winter months, the French system was highly professionalized. Violins were made in all grades and to suit all budgets, but the basic concepts of playability and tone quality were never sacrificed.
This is a very nice instrument, probably from the Apparut workshop, made with excellent materials and showing some typical French flair in the long corners, proud half-penny button and the crisp scroll. The back is outstanding, and the ribs and scroll are made from the same highly figured wood.
The condition is excellent – apart from a few chips here and there, it’s rare to see a Mirecourt violin in this state of preservation. Especially rare to see this style of long corner pretty much intact!
Unusually for a Mirecourt instrument, this violin has a deep and fruity sound, mellow overall but highly responsive and easy to shape. It’s quite lightly built with high arching to the back, and I suppose this accounts for the gorgeously woody tone. This character persists throughout the register, a complete absence of harshness from bottom to top, and yet the sound is always clean and articulate. This isn’t a screamer of a violin, and I wouldn’t recommend it for a Carnegie Hall debut, but if you’re an ensemble player looking for a dark voice, it’s a real winner.
Length of back 35.6cm, stop 130/195mm
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Ref: 5313
