Gustave Eugene VILLAUME Violin- Nancy, France 1958

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Bears a signed label:

Gustave Eugene VILLAUME was born in Mirecourt in 1899 and died in 1985. He apprenticed himself to the workshop of Léon Mougenot and to Jacquet Gand in Mirecourt. He moved to Paris where he worked for Caressa et Français and Fernand Jacquot in Nancy. In 1924 he began his own workshop in Nancy. His instruments were highly regarded and admired for their high quality by professional players and luthiers. Gustave made violins to his own personal models and fine copies of famous Italian makers. The violin is a Guarneri model and is completed with a red/brown oil varnish over a golden yellow ground. The wood choice jumps and equals the sound. The top plate is two-piece spruce with narrow even grain at the center seam and the grain widens to the flanks. The back is highly flamed two-piece maple. The flame is medium width and descends slightly from the center seam. The ribs, neck, and scroll have the same high degree of flame. Rosewood fittings, ebony fingerboard, nut, and saddle. The violin is in very good condition and comes with a certificate from 1958.

Corpus 356.0 mm. Major Width 204.0 mm. Minor Width 162.0 mm. Rib Height 29.5 mm

The sound is full of overtones and rings large. It is a wow sound! The bottom end has the maturity and guts a player is looking for with sustain and drive. The treble side is gorgeous and brilliant. The instrument oozes power and sustain and is right down the middle with darkness of sound and brilliance of texture. The E and A strings ring beautifully and are a great complement to the bass side of the instrument. This violin will open up even more once played on by a serious player. This violin checks off all the boxes in the sound venue and looks category.