Have any luthiers (or anyone else?) heard of D.E. Ragot?

damonsmith · #1 04-18-2011, 07:14 PM

A co-worker has her eye on cornerless violin supposedly made by him. Has anyone heard of him? Did he make double basses?

sirero · #2 04-18-2011, 07:49 PM

He has a guitar shaped 5(?) string viola in the Boston museum of Fine arts. Pretty much it, google won't really return anything maybe someone else knows something he was a 19th century american according to the scholars research site. No full name or any other distinguishing information though.

damonsmith · #3 04-18-2011, 10:17 PM

I know, my Google finger is working as well. That is why I asked here!

sirero · #4 04-18-2011, 10:28 PM

nah I SAW it. there was no big placard though just a little one with a name. He was not a pioneer valley, or boston maker though.

orffbear · #5 07-04-2011, 08:38 AM

Hi,

Don't know much about D. E. Ragot, but I have a little bit to offer.

Dominick E. Ragot was listed as a musical instrument maker in the 1840 and 1844 Buffalo (NY) city directories. The 1850 census shows him living in Black Rock, a neighboring community that was annexed by Buffalo in 1852. His occupation was given as "fiddler," and he was born in France.

That's all I've got beyond the same basic Google info.

I'm interested in any other information, as one of my long term projects is compiling a book on music and musicians in Buffalo during the 19th century.

Thanks!

Sarah