KIT
Louis Guersan, Paris 1737.
Before being made and presented in the 19th century as masterpieces, the kits were used by dancing masters to set the rhythm and nuances during their lessons.
Louis Nicolas Guersan, 1700-1770, received maître luthier on February 16, 1723 and elected sworn accountant of the corporation on November 23, 1747, is considered the most famous Parisian luthier of his time. In addition to high-quality instruments, we owe him “an original varnish formula: alcohol varnish, which will quickly constitute one of the distinctive features of French violin making. (1)
Label printed inside the case: “Ludovicus Guersan, prope Coemediam Gallicam, Lutetiae anno 1737”.
Model in a so-called “boat” shape whose narrow maple body is extended by a neck and a fingerboard of the same wood. The spruce soundboard is opened by two sound holes and a heart at the base of the fingerboard. The pegbox is sculpted with a woman’s head according to the Parisian fashion of the time.
The instrument, kept in its leather-covered wooden case, has not undergone any visible restoration.
Length: 40.5cm Width: 4.2cm.
Provenance: Collection of luthier Jacques Français, New York, (1923-2004).
Bibliography :
- Histoire de la lutherie parisienne du XVIIIe siècle à 1960. Tome II : Les luthiers du XVIIIe siècle. Sylvette Milliot. Les amis de la musique ed. Spa, 1997. (1)
- Maîtrise et jurandes dans la communauté des maîtres faiseurs d’instruments de musique à Paris: Jean Jeltsch, Denis Watel. In « Musique- Images – Instruments ». Revue d’organologie n°4 sous la direction de Florence Gétreau.
