An Early 19th Century French Violin By A Member Of The Mansuy Family.

The Mansuy family of luthiers hailed from Baudricourt. Some of whom trained in Paris and presumably also in Vosges in the 19th century. Functionally, Pierre Mansuy (1730-1786) was the patriarch of the family and enjoyed a successful career in Paris, after which his family followed suite in the prevailing traditions of the era, branding their instruments “Mansuy a Paris” both before and during the rise of Mirecourt to the monolithic influence it became to the international violin trade. JTL Purchased one of the family brands around 1870 and began capitalizing on the family’s reputation with like-named reproductions. Though these JTL fabrications are the most common, Mansuy became a widely popular trade name, used to a lesser extent by Laberte and even Charles Bailly.

Other members of the Mansuy family of luthiers include Claude Mansuy, Etienne Mansuy, Thomas Mansuy, Claude Joseph Mansuy, Louise Constance Mansuy and Nicolas Maquart (sometimes spelled Nacquard).

This old French violin was made by a member of the Mansuy family in Mirecourt in the first part of the 19th century and certainly no later than 1830. It presents in excitingly well preserved condition and retains its original neck which has been re-angled and reset for the correct height with a clavette. The neck has also re-graduated to modern specifications for optimal comfort and ease of play. the scroll has been bushed, rebored, and fitted with Cohen Violins’ custom made pegs and the corresponding fittings for ppremium setup, which also includes a bridge carved  from a 30+ year old Aubert blank, Stradpet Titanium tuner, and Vision strings with an Evah Pirazzi ‘E.‘ This Mansuy family violin features a one piece back of somewhat tight, irregular flame measuring 361mm; the instrument of slightly larger proportions, typical to French making of the era. The ribs, of matching material to the back, with a plain selection of maple for the headstock and tight even grained spruce for the top.