This is a lovely Strad copy by Paul Blanchard from 1887. It’s in great condition and the sound is first class.
Paul Blanchard is a maker who never disappoints – we have sold several violins by him and have never come across a dud. In fact the Lyon makers as a whole – HC Silvestre, Paul Blanchard, Emile Boulangeot and Georges Coné – can be relied on to produce violins that marry aesthetics with tonal excellence.
This example is quite typical of Blanchard’s earlier work – very precise but with a softness that sets it apart from the Parisian work of the period.
The condition is generally excellent – there are no cracks or damages but there’s some visible wear to the treble c-bout and the upper right corner, and the varnish shows a touch of craquelure.
Let’s not engage in any silly discussion of “the French sound” – there is no such thing. French making covers a very broad range of techniques and tonal objectives, there are great makers, good makers, bad makers…
For me, and from a musician’s perspective, Blanchard is one of the most consistent of French makers – Blanchard violins are always responsive and generous in sound, never wiry or stiff in the way a Gand & Bernardel or even a Vuillaume can be.
This violin has great response and a wide tonal palette – its overall character is fruity and a bit zingy, definitely more Strad than Guad. It’s a companionable and malleable instrument which would be ideal for an orchestral professional.
