Just not Cremona
Mirecourt, Mittenwald & Markneukirchen
Violin making north of the Alps, and specifically, in France and Germany, flourished for long periods, beginning in the 18th century, and continuing until the first decade of the 20th.
The towns of Mittenwald and Markneukirchen in Germany and Mirecourt in France, were home to some of the most important families of violin makers and bow makers of the period, and workshops were established that in some cases, prospered for over two centuries.
Klotz, Hornstein, Pfretzschner, and Roth in Germany, and Vuillaume, Lupot, Bernardel and Voirin in France, are just some of the more famous names.
Alongside the individual work of the great master violin makers, in the 19th century, it became necessary to make cheaper instruments on a larger scale to meet the demands of a rapidly growing market.
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Satellite workshops began to grow, with many craftsmen whose task was to assemble individual parts, such as pegs and tailpieces, but also violin necks, backs and tops.
So-called stringed instrument “factories” were beginning to take shape and they were responsible for a good part of the production that came out of these “capitals” of violin making.
Towards the end of the 19th century, first the depression and then two World Wars, saw the start of a slow decline that led to the inevitable end of all production in France and a large parte of German one. Today, new markets, and the Chinese one in particular, dominate the lower-end instrument sector, with good quality products at very competitive prices.
The range of instruments proposed by my workshop always includes selected antique violins from the traditional French and German factories, all in excellent condition.
Please feel free to contact us for information on their availablity.
