Violas

Probably by a member of the Prokop family, this is a late 19th century Czech viola made on a Maggini model. It’s in great condition apart form a few dents and scuffs to the varnish. A very handy size, it has a dark and fruity sound, slightly melancholic, very musical. More details→

This is a fine 18th century French viola of the “Vieux Paris” school. It has a very credible Guersan label but in fact it’s the work of Nicolas Chappuy showing many of his trademark touches. More details→

Joseph Chardon was the son in law of Geroges Chanot, also his apprentice and his successor. Born in 1843 he lived a long life, and was assisted in the family business by his son Georges Chardon. This viola was made around 1915-1920, and it still owes a lot stylistically to the wonderful instruments of Georges Chanot. More details→

Paul Bailly is the only maker from the Vuillaume shop who continued to work well into the 20th century, and his style is more individual and fluid than that of his co-workers like Maucotel, Derazey or Silvestre. This slightly undersized viola is a great example of his work in near-mint condition. More details→

Joseph Couturieux or Couturieux “Fils” is a little known maker who worked briefly for JB Vuillaume. This beautiful viola is something of an enigma – it has a Vuillaume label, it looks in many ways like a Vuillaume, yet it has an original Couturieux signature. More details→

Francesco Maurizi is a relatively obscure maker from the Marche region of central Italy. His violins are much admired for their quality of sound, though the construction can be quite hurried. This viola is a great example, with an unusually deep and noble sound for its size. More details→

For some reason CA Miremont managed to produce instruments of superb tonal quality while those around him sometimes struggled. In particular his violas and cellos are consistently successful and greatly appreciated. More details→

This is an outstanding 18th century Italian viola by Paolo Castello. Castello attracts quite a varied response from connoisseurs and antiquarians, mainly on account of his idiosyncratic scrolls, but I’m a big fan. Every instrument of his that I’ve played has sounded good, and most are outstanding. This viola is a fine example of his work, very similar to the one featured in Alberto Giordano’s seminal article in the Strad. More details→

JB Vuillaume can truly be said to have revolutionised the world of stringed instruments. No-one has had quite as much impact on violin-making since Stradivari. He rode a wave of demand, largely of his own creating, and produced thousands of instruments and bows of extremely high quality. In the process he trained up an entire generation of fine makers. More details→