19th century French violin by Nicolas Morlot

With a robust sound and its delicate craftsmanship, this French violin represents the best traditions of artisanal violin making in Mirecourt, where it was crafted in the early 19th century in the workshop of Nicolas Morlot – a master who unfortunately has become somewhat forgotten and who was one of the two luthiers who represented France at the World Exposition in 1802. Only certain aspects of his biography and oeuvre have been recorded. Nicolas Morlot’s brandmark and a historic inventory number from the renowned Parisian workshop Caressa & Français both confirm the instrument’s provenance and corroborate that it is a masterpiece by Nicolas Morlot, who learned his craft from Didier Nicolas. These marks assure that it is an authentic Nicolas Morlot workshop violin and not one of the mass-produced violins which were later sold under his good name. Subsequently only individual instruments such as this genuine Morlot have survived, and they speak for themselves not only because of their artisanal and aesthetic merits; the violin’s somewhat thicker neck makes it quite comfortable to play, and its flawless craftsman quality is evident in every detail. The moderately-grained spruce of the one-piece top and the tightly flamed maple of the one-piece back – tone woods with outstanding resonant properties of exceptional rarity – lend the varnish an unusual hue with a brilliant interplay of colours which harmonises beautifully with its historic patina. We received this instrument at our specialist workshop in outstanding crack-free condition, and now that we have meticulously set it up and made it ready to play, we are pleased to be able to offer this Nicolas Morlot workshop violin at a competitive price to musicians who will savour its robust resonance and its mature voice.