Joseph Arthur Vigneron
Paris, 1851–1905
Joseph Arthur Vigneron (1851-1905) was a distinguished French bow maker, born in Mirecourt and active in Paris. He trained with C. N. Husson and worked for J. J. Martin and Gand and Bernardel before establishing his own workshop in 1888. Known for his classical French bows, which evolved from the Bazin to the Vuillaume style, Vigneron's work is highly regarded for its playing quality and craftsmanship. He collaborated with L. Capet to develop a distinctive bow with a semi-triangular stick, branded 'MODÈLE LUCIEN CAPET'. His bows, often branded 'A. VIGNERON A PARIS', are sought after by artists for their responsiveness and balance, despite sometimes being heavier, a characteristic he discussed with Henri Poidras.
Auction Price History
Highest auction price
149 results
| Type | Details | Auction house | Sold | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violin Bow | Silver mounted, ebony frog with Paris eye, ferrule engraved ARD, original silk lapping, perfect condition Lot 66 | Aguttes | June 2024 | £14,779est. € 10.000-15.000 |
| Violin Bow | Silver mounted, stamped Gand & ..., stick and head blemishes, handle wear, frog crack, good condition Lot 238 | Laurent | June 2024 | £8,740est. € 6.000-8.000 |
| Violin Bow | Silver mounted, frog and button by E. Sartory, stick and head blemishes, handle wear, fair condition Lot 248 | Laurent | June 2024 | £6,683est. € 5.000-6.000 |
| Violin Bow | Silver mounted, round stick stamped A. Vigneron à Paris Lot 40 | Tarisio | March 2024 | £9,000est. £ 8,000-12,000 |
| Violin Bow | Silver mounted, stamped A. Vigneron à Paris, frog later Lot 67 | Tarisio | March 2024 | £7,971est. $ 4,000-6,000 |
| Violin Bow | Silver mounted, round stick stamped faintly A. Vigneron à Paris, ebony frog with Paris eye, silver button Lot 70 | Ingles & H. | March 2024 | £6,000est. £ 5,000-8,000 |
| Violin Bow | Silver mounted, round stick stamped Vigneron à Paris Lot 70 | Tarisio | February 2024 | £12,294est. € 8.000-12.000 |
| Violin Bow | Silver mounted, round stick stamped A. Vigneron à Paris, ebony frog with Paris eye, silver button Lot 2252 | Gardiner | June 2020 | £2,280est. £ 1,800-2,400 |
| Violin Bow | S/E 53.5 g. with silk winding, branded "Gand et Bernardel" | — | December 2011 | £5,073 |
| Violin Bow | S/E 59 g. with silk winding | — | December 2011 | £5,284 |
| Cello Bow | S/E 80.5 g. (button later) | — | November 2011 | £3,759 |
| Violin Bow | S/E 61.0 g. engraved ferrule | — | November 2011 | £8,270 |
| Cello Bow | S/E 80.5 g. (later frog) | — | October 2011 | £3,326 |
| Violin Bow | S/E 59 g. Paris, 1890 c. | — | October 2011 | £5,250 |
| Violin Bow | S/E 64 g. Paris, 1890 c. | — | October 2011 | £4,750 |
| Violin Bow | S/E 61 g. France , early 20th C. Attributed to | — | October 2011 | £1,125 |
| Violin Bow | N/E 50.5 g. without hair or winding Worskhop of | — | June 2011 | £992 |
| Violin Bow | S/E 62.5 g. Paris, 1890 c. | — | March 2011 | £5,625 |
| Cello Bow | S/E 82 g. Paris, 1890 c. | — | March 2011 | £3,500 |
| Violin Bow | S/E 61 g. | — | December 2010 | £1,450 |
| Violin Bow | S/E 50.5 g. no hair or winding, branded "Gand & Bernardel Frères" | — | December 2010 | £4,350 |
| Violin Bow | S/E 62 g. | — | December 2010 | £7,767 |
| Violin Bow | S/E 51 g. without hair, with silk winding | — | December 2010 | £1,553 |
| Violin Bow | S/E 50.5 g. no winding (wear and frog damage) | — | December 2010 | £3,625 |
| Viola Bow | S/E 75.0 g. Attributed to | — | October 2010 | £2,253 |
| Violin Bow | S/E 57.0 g. | — | October 2010 | £3,755 |
| Viola Bow | S/E 68.0 g. | — | June 2010 | £8,835 |
| Violin Bow | S/E 59 g. | — | June 2010 | £2,900 |
| Violin Bow | S/E 52 g. with hair and fine winding | — | June 2010 | £2,589 |
| Cello Bow | N/E 68.5 g. with fine hair | — | June 2010 | £1,553 |
| Violin Bow | S/E 65.0 g. | — | April 2010 | £5,106 |
| Cello Bow | S/E 73.0 g. | — | April 2010 | £2,465 |
| Violin Bow | S/E 61 g. (frog and button of the period) | — | December 2009 | £2,720 |
| Cello Bow | S/E 78 g. | — | December 2009 | £5,223 |
| Viola Bow | S/E 75.0 g. Attributed to | — | October 2009 | £2,781 |
| Violin Bow | S/E 57.5 g. | — | October 2009 | £5,400 |
| Violin Bow | S/E 64 g. Paris , 1890 c. | — | October 2009 | £3,750 |
| Violin Bow | S/E 59 g. | — | October 2009 | £5,290 |
| Violin Bow | 52 g. without hair or winding | — | June 2009 | £3,941 |
| Cello Bow | S/E 73.0 g. (button later) | — | March 2009 | £3,510 |
| Violin Bow | S/E 60 g. Paris, 1890 c. | — | March 2009 | £6,000 |
| Violin Bow | S/E 60 g. | — | March 2009 | £920 |
| Violin Bow | S/E 64 g. | — | December 2008 | £4,607 |
| Violin Bow | S/E 62 g. Paris, 1905 c. | — | November 2008 | £6,985 |
| Violin Bow | S/E 60.3 g. | — | October 2008 | £3,615 |
| Violin Bow | S/E Attributed to | — | June 2008 | £1,308 |
| Violin Bow | G/E 62 g. | — | June 2008 | £12,998 |
| Cello Bow | S/E 77.5 g. | — | May 2008 | £3,596 |
| Violin Bow | S/E 61 g. | — | May 2008 | £5,419 |
| Violin Bow | S/E 61 g. Mirecourt, 1900 c. | — | April 2008 | £1,880 |
| Violin Bow | S/E 60.5 g, Paris, 1900 c. | — | April 2008 | £2,005 |
| Cello Bow | S/E 76.5 g. Paris, 1890 c. | — | March 2008 | £6,875 |
| Viola Bow | S/E 69 5. g. Paris, 1890 c. | — | March 2008 | £5,000 |
| Violin Bow | S/E 59.5 g. | — | December 2007 | £3,063 |
| Violin Bow | S/E 63 g. | — | December 2007 | £3,233 |
| Violin Bow | S/E 61.5 g. Probably by | — | October 2007 | £914 |
| Violin Bow | S/E 59 g. Paris, 1890 c. | — | October 2007 | £3,500 |
| Cello Bow | 83.0 g. with rubber tubing (broken at the head and unrepaired) | — | July 2007 | £1,394 |
| Violin Bow | S/E 62 g. | — | June 2007 | £4,008 |
| Violin Bow | S/E 64.0 g. with heavy silver lapping | — | May 2007 | £2,311 |
| Violin Bow | S/E 59.2 g. | — | March 2007 | £1,840 |
| Violin Bow | S/E 53.0 g. with no hair | — | March 2007 | £2,185 |
| Cello Bow | S/E 82 g. Paris, 1900 c. | — | February 2007 | £14,400 |
| Cello Bow | S/E 83 g. | — | December 2006 | £3,995 |
| Violin Bow | S/E 54 g. Workshop | — | December 2006 | £1,997 |
| Violin Bow | S/E 54 g. without hair or winding (thumb wear) | — | December 2006 | £5,193 |
| Violin Bow | N/E 57.5 g. | — | December 2006 | £3,995 |
| Violin Bow | S/E 60 g. Paris, 1900 c. | — | November 2006 | £4,200 |
| Violin Bow | S/E 60.5 g. Paris, 1900 c. | — | November 2006 | £4,200 |
| Violin Bow | S/E 55.0 g. | — | October 2006 | £4,003 |
| Violin Bow | S/E 59 g. | — | October 2006 | £2,684 |
| Violin Bow | S/E 61 g. | — | October 2006 | £3,158 |
| Cello Bow | 83.0 g. with rubber tubing (broken at the head and unrepaired) | — | July 2006 | £1,561 |
| Violin Bow | S/E 59 g. Paris, 1900 c. | — | February 2006 | £1,560 |
| Violin Bow | S/E 61 g. Paris, 1890 c. | — | February 2006 | £1,560 |
| Violin Bow | S/E 59 g. without hair | — | December 2005 | £958 |
| Violin Bow | N/E 62 g. | — | December 2005 | £3,353 |
| Cello Bow | S/E 81 g. | — | November 2005 | £5,921 |
| Violin Bow | S/E 61 g. | — | November 2005 | £3,316 |
| Violin Bow | S/E 50 g. 3/4 Size | — | November 2005 | £1,970 |
| Violin Bow | S/E 63 g. | — | November 2005 | £3,360 |
| Violin Bow | S/E 60 g. | — | November 2005 | £1,680 |
| Cello Bow | G/I 83 g. | — | April 2005 | £4,386 |
| Violin Bow | S/E 59 g. (poor condition) | — | December 2004 | £1,709 |
| Violin Bow | S/E branded "Gand & Bernardel" | — | December 2004 | £3,419 |
| Violin Bow | S/E 62.5 g. | — | November 2004 | £3,840 |
| Violin Bow | N/E 60.5 g. | — | November 2004 | £2,640 |
| Violin Bow | S/E 58.5 g. | — | November 2004 | £1,320 |
| Violin Bow | S/E 57.5 g. | — | November 2004 | £1,920 |
| Viola Bow | S/E 69.5 g. | — | October 2004 | £5,090 |
| Violin Bow | S/E 59.4 g. | — | July 2004 | £3,585 |
| Violin Bow | S/E 61 g. | — | July 2004 | £3,360 |
| Violin Bow | G/E 55.6 g. with original tinsel wrap | — | May 2004 | £8,364 |
| Violin Bow | S/E 58.5 g. Probably by | — | May 2004 | £2,091 |
| Violin Bow | S/E 58.5 g. stamped "Gand & Bernardel" | — | March 2004 | £3,840 |
| Violin Bow | S/E 65.5 g. | — | March 2004 | £3,600 |
| Violin Bow | S/E 59.5 g. | — | March 2004 | £4,800 |
| Violin Bow | S/E 60 g. | — | March 2004 | £3,360 |
| Violin Bow | S/E 60 g. | — | December 2003 | £4,947 |
| Violin Bow | S/E 60 g. | — | December 2003 | £3,298 |
| Violin Bow | S/E 56 g. | — | December 2003 | £2,144 |
| Violin Bow | S/E 63 g. | — | November 2003 | £4,800 |
| Cello Bow | S/E 79 g. | — | October 2003 | £2,946 |
| Cello Bow | S/E 84 g. | — | July 2003 | £3,360 |
| Violin Bow | S/E 58 g. | — | June 2003 | £2,065 |
| Violin Bow | S/E 62 g. | — | October 2002 | £4,926 |
| Violin Bow | S/E 62 g. | — | June 2002 | £5,378 |
| Viola Bow | S/E 69 g. | — | June 2002 | £3,397 |
| Violin Bow | S/E 61 g. | — | May 2002 | £5,048 |
| Violin Bow | S/E 59 g. | — | June 2001 | £1,784 |
| Violin Bow | S/E 58 g. | — | March 2001 | £5,290 |
| Cello Bow | S/E 79 g. | — | November 2000 | £4,800 |
| Violin Bow | S/E 56 g. | — | July 2000 | £3,120 |
| Violin Bow | S/E 59 g. | — | July 2000 | £900 |
| Violin Bow | S/E 57 g. | — | November 1999 | £3,800 |
| Violin Bow | S/E 64 g. | — | November 1999 | £2,000 |
| Violin Bow | S/E 59 g. | — | November 1999 | £7,130 |
| Violin Bow | S/E 62 g. | — | November 1999 | £6,325 |
| Violin Bow | S/E 57 g. | — | June 1999 | £920 |
| Violin Bow | N/E 57 g. | — | June 1999 | £1,669 |
| Violin Bow | S/E 55 g. | — | May 1999 | £2,814 |
| Cello Bow | S/E 79 g. | — | April 1999 | £2,325 |
| Cello Bow | S/E 80 g. | — | March 1999 | £3,450 |
| Violin Bow | S/E 56 g. | — | March 1999 | £4,830 |
| Violin Bow | S/E 60 g. | — | March 1999 | £2,875 |
| Violin Bow | S/E 59 g. | — | March 1999 | £1,955 |
| Violin Bow | S/E 59 g. | — | November 1998 | £1,955 |
| Violin Bow | S/E 61 g. | — | November 1998 | £4,600 |
| Violin Bow | S/T 63 g. | — | September 1998 | £1,540 |
| Violin Bow | S/E 59 g. | — | June 1998 | £3,105 |
| Violin Bow | S/E 62 g. | — | May 1998 | £1,834 |
| Viola Bow | S/E 66 g. | — | April 1998 | £4,025 |
| Violin Bow | S/E 61 g. | — | March 1998 | £1,380 |
| Violin Bow | S/E 59 g. | — | March 1998 | £287 |
| Violin Bow | S/E 61 g. | — | November 1997 | £3,680 |
| Violin Bow | S/E 61 g. | — | July 1997 | £5,175 |
| Violin Bow | S/E 57 g. | — | March 1997 | £2,070 |
| Cello Bow | S/T 82 g. | — | June 1996 | £2,185 |
| Cello Bow | G/E 80 g. | — | March 1996 | £5,520 |
| Cello Bow | S/E 78 g. | — | March 1995 | £3,450 |
| Viola Bow | S/E 64 g. | — | March 1995 | £3,910 |
| Cello Bow | S/E 80 g. | — | December 1994 | £5,897 |
| Viola Bow | S/E 69 g. | — | November 1993 | £2,760 |
| Cello Bow | S/E 84 g. | — | November 1992 | £3,740 |
| Cello Bow | S/E 73 g. | — | June 1992 | £2,750 |
| Cello Bow | S/E 76 g. | — | June 1992 | £2,420 |
| Viola Bow | S/E 71 g. | — | November 1991 | £2,970 |
| Violin Bow | S/E 56 g. | — | June 1988 | £3,080 |
| Viola Bow | S/E 62 g. | — | November 1983 | £770 |
No results match those filters.
Maker Overview
Life
Joseph Arthur Vigneron (1851-1905) was born in Mirecourt in 1851 and died in Paris, France, in 1905. Known as 'Vigneron Père', he began his career as a pupil and assistant of C. N. Husson until 1872. Subsequently, he was employed by J. J. Martin and, from 1880. Joseph Arthur Vigneron established his independent workshop in Paris from 1888, located at 54 rue de Cléry. He collaborated with L. Capet, a professor at the Paris Conservatoire, to develop a new bow. His son, André, later joined him in his work.
Characteristics
- Distinction
- Joseph Arthur Vigneron is recognized as a very distinguished bow maker, considered among the best of his time.
- Style Evolution
- His early work was in the Bazin manner, but he later embraced the Vuillaume style, developing a distinctive personality in his independent years.
- Construction
- He was known for classical French bow making, producing both octagonal and round sticks of renowned playing quality and craftsmanship.
- Prolific Output
- Vigneron was a prolific and highly skilled maker, though no work of his is known to feature gold or tortoiseshell embellishment.
- Innovation
- In collaboration with L. Capet, he developed a new bow featuring a stick of semi-triangular section, which was branded 'MODÈLE LUCIEN CAPET'. His later work continued to feature this form of stick.
- Playing Characteristics
- , his sticks are much sought after by artists for being responsive, strong, and well-balanced, though sometimes a little heavy. Poidras notes that the most important factor is the balance of the stick, allowing for free handling, and that Vigneron's arguments and methods regarding bow weight were not altogether wrong, drawing a comparison to Tourte, who also generally made heavy bows.
Influence and legacy
- Mentorship: Joseph Arthur Vigneron was a pupil and assistant of C. N. Husson.
- Employment: He was employed by J. J. Martin and later by Gand and Bernardel.
- Stylistic Influences: His early work reflected the Bazin manner, and he subsequently embraced the Vuillaume style.
- Family Continuity: His son, André, joined him in his bow making endeavors.
- Artistic Demand: His bows are highly regarded and much sought after by artists.
Biographies
The overview above is drawn from the following published accounts. Read them in the original:
John Dilworth+
VIGNERON, Joseph Arthur Born 1851 Mirecourt, died 1905 Paris France. Known as ‘Vigneron Père. Very distinguished bow maker. Pupil and assistant of C. N. Husson until 1872, subsequently employed J. J. Martin and from 1880 by Gand and Bernardel. Established independently in Paris from 1888 at 54 rue de Cléry. Classical French bow making, both octagonal and round sticks, of renowned playing quality and craftsmanship. Early work in the Bazin manner; later embraced the Vuillaume style, developing his distinctive personality in his independent years. Prolific maker, and highly skilled, although no work of his is known with gold or tortoiseshell embellishment. Worked with L. Capet, a professor of the Paris Conservatoire, to develop a new bow with stick of semi-triangular section, and these were branded. MODÈLE LUCIEN CAPET. His later work persisted with this form of stick, and he was joined by his son André. Branded: A. VIGNERON A PARIS or VIGNERON, PARIS [Millant/Raffin]
Henri Poidras+
Born at Mirecourt in 1851, died in 1905. Pupil of Ch. Husson. This master bow maker is among the best of his time. Despite the fact that his sticks do not always possess the finish or refinement of Voirin, they are much sought after by artists as they are responsive, strong and well balanced, though sometimes a little heavy. We have discussed this subject with him personally in the days when exceptionally light bows were in vogue and experience has taught us that his arguments and methods were not altogether wrong. Tourte also generally made heavy bows. The most important factor is the balance of the stick, so that it permits free handling, the weight actually depending on the mood of the player. For this reason, every violinist should have two bows of different weights. By the use of a fairly heavy bow the playing of a somewhat nervous concertist will gain in fullness of tone with less effort. Mark : A. VIGNERON, a Paris.
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