- Oct 12, 2004
- 1,327
- 587
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- Disclosures
- Retailer: Shen, Sun, older European
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Double Bass Total number of Vuillaume doublebasses?
- Thread starter Steve Swan
- Start date
- Oct 12, 2004
- 1,327
- 587
- 72
- Disclosures
- Retailer: Shen, Sun, older European
I'm not sure anyone would know. There are a decent amount of them around. But since Vuillaume basses were essentially made by several different luthiers, Im not sure it is possible to find out a number(or approx).
- Oct 12, 2004
- 1,327
- 587
- 72
- Disclosures
- Retailer: Shen, Sun, older European
I tend to think of the Vuillaume shop brand as kind of an uptown Juzek of its day, 150+ years ago. A charismatic marketer and successful shop owner, J.B. Vuillaume was able to hire or contract a good many fine builders to make the instruments that bore his shop label. Of course, unless the complete ledgers are known to exist, there isn't any way to definitively know the exact number of doublebasses made for his business. Some educated guesses could me made, especially for some of the better known makers. It's fascinating to think about.
Well, according to the noted compendium of luthiery lore which we know as Wikipedia, Vuillaume did keep records and did serialize his work.
But as the article hints, Vuillaume might or might not have been the first great violin forger. The complete story lies in the grave.
As many have discovered there is more money to be made with less work building violins than basses. (In other words, people who build basses do it because they really like it -- there are other, saner options within easy reach.) With that in mind it is difficult to picture J.B. Vuillaume doing more than waving his brush over a double-bass and affixing his label to shop-craft.
But as the article hints, Vuillaume might or might not have been the first great violin forger. The complete story lies in the grave.
As many have discovered there is more money to be made with less work building violins than basses. (In other words, people who build basses do it because they really like it -- there are other, saner options within easy reach.) With that in mind it is difficult to picture J.B. Vuillaume doing more than waving his brush over a double-bass and affixing his label to shop-craft.
This is yearrrssssss late, but I've been working on finding out the same thing.
There are, as far as I know, 2 basses directly attributed to J.B Vuillaume that can be proven to be at least out of his workshop.
The first is the "Haden" Vuillaume of 1845. Its for sale at Robertsons and Sons. (I got to play it; most terrifying 5 minutes of my life
) This bass is based off of Stradivari's mature cello models, and rumor has it that Vuillaume himself created the patterns for the instrument.The second is the "Quarrington" Vuillaume of 1835-1840. Joel Quarrington had this instrument for some time, before getting his Maggini. This bass is based off of patterns by the luthier JF Schmitt. This bass is privately owned and played in France.
*There is a third Vuillaume, that Thomas Martin found, but the general consensus is that it's an English made/patterned instrument and not a true Vuillaume.*
There's also an untouched Vuillaume bass scroll (1840) for sale at The Contrabasse Shop that matches the scrolls on the two confirmed.
There are two basses in Canada that I've heard about with Vuillaume labels. One sold here in Vancouver recently and another is/was for sale in Toronto. I haven't seen either bass in person but I'm told they're both thought be be shop basses. Both look to be lovely, classic French instruments from the pictures I've seen.
Have any more info on the one Martin found? Might be one from my neck of the woods from a while back.This is yearrrssssss late, but I've been working on finding out the same thing.
There are, as far as I know, 2 basses directly attributed to J.B Vuillaume that can be proven to be at least out of his workshop.
The first is the "Haden" Vuillaume of 1845. Its for sale at Robertsons and Sons. (I got to play it; most terrifying 5 minutes of my life
The second is the "Quarrington" Vuillaume of 1835-1840. Joel Quarrington had this instrument for some time, before getting his Maggini. This bass is based off of patterns by the luthier JF Schmitt. This bass is privately owned and played in France.
*There is a third Vuillaume, that Thomas Martin found, but the general consensus is that it's an English made/patterned instrument and not a true Vuillaume.*
There's also an untouched Vuillaume bass scroll (1840) for sale at The Contrabasse Shop that matches the scrolls on the two confirmed.
Well I have an instrument that is with a very high probability made by a very young Vuillaume for Francois Chanot in 1818. F. Chanot himself didn’t make the instruments he invented but instead let his brother Georges and Vuillaume do the dirty work
Georges wasn’t working in that period so most likely Vuillaume himselve made my instrument. Which is nothing more like a fun fact because it doesn’t have much connection with his later work even though it is an absolutely incredible instrument.
- Mar 19, 2002
- 800
- 130
- 53
- Disclosures
- President: Upton Bass String Instrument Co.
We've got one in now we are researching...label is interesting but we're taught to believe labels last. The bass itself is not even remotely French.
Do you mean the label might have been transplanted, or that Vuillaume contracted the work out to a shop outside of France, or something else? Regardless of the answer, it sounds like an interesting story. And, as we all know, the label doesn't make the bass.
