French Cello by Hugues Emile Blondelet, Mirecourt

This French cello is an unmistakably French instrument and was made in 1924 by Hugues Emile Blondelet. The excellent quality of the craftsmanship is especially well-articulated in its contours and the exceptionally fine purfling; these details clearly reveal that this instrument was the work of a leading Mirecourt luthier. At the age of 15, the young H. Emile Blondelet began to work at the ateliers of the world-famous company J. Thibouville-Lamy (J.T.L.), where he spent his entire career and rose to become its director alongside Alexandre Acoulon in 1908. When Blondelet was named a knight of the Legion of Honour in 1923, he may well already have been working on this cello, which is known to be one of his later pieces; he died prematurely in 1928. The few minor and insignificant repairs to the top have no effect on the sound, which further confirms the fine quality craftsmanship of the instrument. Its reddish-brown oil varnish has developed patina and fine historical crackling. The original scroll was not preserved, unfortunately: it was replaced at an unknown time in the past with a simpler but comparably French piece, which is why we can offer this Blondelet cello at a very affordable price. After having been meticulously set up by the restoration specialists in our studio, the cello is ready for you to play. We recommend to contact us for an appointment to play this old cello at our studio in Munich, Germany, and to compare it to other individually selected instruments from our catalog.

 

 

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