Instagram Feed

Instagram did not return a 200.

Follow Me!

Text Widget

Ut tellus dolor, dapibus eget, elementum vel, cursus eleifend, elit. Aenean auctor wisi et urna. Aliquam erat volutpat. Duis ac turpis

Tag: interior

Jonathan Marolle

Jonathan Marolle reecalls a memorable experience: Hundreds of violins were hanging from the wall. He noticed one instrument. “I was struck by the quality of its varnish, which didn’t reflect the light in the same way as the others.

Its peculiar texture and color reminded me of the Italian violins of the 18th century,” explained the expert. After this initial expert assessment, Marolle continued to authenticate and value the fine violins that would be included in the next auction of Vichy Encheres. Jonathan Marolle works in close collaboration with Jean-Jacques Rampal, the head of his lutherie and expertise workshop, who is also an expert consultant with Vichy Encheres. The violin which caught his eye was indeed made by Joseph Guarneri (1666-1740). It sold for 570,000 Euro at the auction.  That auction of December 2014 will be long lived in his memory. For the young 33 year old expert and restorer, however, every authentication turns out to be thrilling. “Whether it’s a violin of the French or English school, a semi-factory made instrument or a masterpiece such as the Guarneri, what matters to me is to discover where the violin came from, who made it, and confirm these attributions through the authentication process.

Why has this violinist, luthier and instrument restorer to the greatest international soloists (Valeriy Sokolov, Frang Vilde, Henri Demarquette and Maxim Vengerov) chosen to focus on the history of violins and their authentications? The violin belonging to his grandfather, brought back from the German prison camp in which he was incarcerated during World War II, influenced him greatly. “I started learning the violin at the age of five so I could play this family violin. Today, it still accompanies me on a daily basis, as it is hanging just behind my work station in the workshop,”explained Marolle. Another key moment in his career was when as a child he met Etienne Vatelot, Vatelot’s founder of the Vatelot-Rampal workshop. “I had the opportunity to wait for one of his readings titled ‘Stradivarius and his Imitators’. I had become fascinated by his research methods. The minute his reading was finished, I rushed towards him to convey my enthusiasm. In return, the master offered me an internship in his workshop”. Marolle graduated from the school of violin making in Mirecourt.

Jonathan Marolle reecalls a memorable experience: Hundreds of violins were hanging from the wall. He noticed one instrument. “I was struck by the quality of its varnish, which didn’t reflect the light in the same way as the others.

Its peculiar texture and color reminded me of the Italian violins of the 18th century,” explained the expert. After this initial expert assessment, Marolle continued to authenticate and value the fine violins that…

Continue Reading Share

Yannick Le Canu

Winner of two silver medals at the City of Paris competition and five gold medals in international competitions,
and recipient of a ‘Best French Workers’ award in 2008,
bowmaker Yannick The Canu is an expert appointed by the Court of Appeal in Douai.


As a teenager, Yannick spent most of his time in his uncle’s violin and bow making workshops, at the famous Loïc Le Canu and Bernard Millant establishment. Whenever he had a spare moment, he would have the opportunity to work in his “warm and friendly atmosphere, and the excitement of being in close proximity to prestigious instruments”, as he puts it. He quickly became interested in their work, making, restoration and authentication.

“I was fortunate to learn all aspects of this trade in this prestigious bowmaking workshop,” Yannick remembers. Having made bow expertise his profession, Yannick now participates in the preparation of the most important international auctions held in Vichy.

In 2012, Jean-François Raffin asked Le Canu to work with him and Sylvain Bigot in their bow expertise practice. Since then, they meet every Friday in Paris to examine and assess bows, and they have found their way into the auction catalogs of Vichy Auctions. Each assessment is carried out by Yannick. One of his most memorable encounters is an example by master bowmaker François-Xavier Tourte, “which was buried in a bundle of bows brought to us by a musician…This exceptional bow reached the impressive price of 68,000 Euros at an auction conducted by Etienne and Guy Lawrence,” explained Yannick.

Before becoming a key participant in auctions in his expert capacity, Yannick used to visit the sales of auction houses both in France and abroad. He wanted to continue to sharpen his eye by learning to recognize the peculiarities of each maker’s style, and to distinguish between the various schools of making. This meticulous research and accumulated knowledge has, in turn, fed his own bowmaking skills, which has been rewarded by two silver medals at the City of Paris competition and five gold medals in international competitions. Additionally, Yannick’ won a ‘Best French Workers’ award in 2008. He has now been deemed ‘out-of-competition’ on account of his numerous awards and medals, but continues to be involved in competitions, as a judge and lecturer.

Winner of two silver medals at the City of Paris competition and five gold medals in international competitions,
and recipient of a ‘Best French Workers’ award in 2008,
bowmaker Yannick The Canu is an expert appointed by the Court of Appeal in Douai.

As a teenager, Yannick spent most of his time in his uncle’s violin and bow making workshops, at the famous Loïc Le Canu and Bernard Millant establishment. Whenever he had a spare moment,…

Continue Reading Share