Francois Nicolas Voirin

VOIRIN, François Nicolas Born 1833 Mirecourt, died 1885 Paris France. Brother of Joseph, below, and cousin of J. B. Vuillaume. One of the greatest and most influential makers of the classical French school of bow making. Apprenticed to J. Simon in Mirecourt. Subsequently worked for Vuillaume in Paris 1855-1870. In that shop he succeeded N. Maline as director of bow making and instigated many significant improvements in the design and techniques of the craft. Established independently at 3 rue du Bouloi. Teacher of C. Peccatte, J. A. Lamy, C. N. Bazin, C. C. Husson, and Louis and Claude Thomassin. The last of these, Claude Thomassin, kept the workshop open after Voirin’s death, under the management of his widow. It may be noted that his wife was a practical collaborator in his work, hairing and lapping the bows. Mirecourt makers regularly acknowledged their spouses in business titles and brands, and this collaboration was probably a common practice. Superb quality and craftsmanship evident in all his work. Developed the Tourte and Peccatte model through a slimmer head and a correspondingly slimmer handle. He also made the stick more perfectly round rather than slightly egg-shaped in profile. Most of his work bears the Vuillaume brand and has the Vuillaume frog with rounded edges. Some of these carry the ‘portrait eye’, with a microphotograph of Vuillaume embedded beneath a lens in the eye of the frog. Still more of his work was done for S. A. Deroux and Gand Frères. Bows from his own shop, after 1870, are considered rather light by modern standards. Some bows made for Chanot in London, bearing his own brand. Awarded silver medal in Paris and posthumously a gold medal in Antwerp. His brand and work has been regularly copied at a very mediocre level by various German commercial enterprises. Branded ‘F.N.VOIRIN À PARIS’. Rare examples also carry the brand ‘EXPOSITION, 1878’. [Roda, Vatelot, Millant]

b. Oct. 1, 1833, at Mirecourt; d. June 4, 1885, at Paris. After working at Mirecourt, he went to Paris in 1855, and for fifteen years made bows for J. B. Vuillaume; he obtained as ” collaborateur ” a ” Mention honorable ” at the 1867 Paris Exhibition. He separated from Vuillaume in 1870 and established himself at 3, rue du Bouloi, where he worked till his death. He had great ability as a bow maker; he followed the Tourte pattern, but made the head of his bow less square; his workmanship shows wonderful finish and elegance. He was awarded a silver medal at the Paris Exhibition in 1878, the only prize given to bow-making ; and some of his bows exhibited after his death at the Antwerp Exhibition were awarded a gold medal. He branded his bows with ” F. N. Voirin, a Paris”; to this was added, on those bows exhibited at Paris, 1878, “Exposition, 1878.” Bows sold by Madame Voirin since her husband’s death have also been branded in the same way.

Nachdem er in seiner Heimath das Geigenmachen erlernt hatte, kam er 1855 zu Vuillaume nach Paris und blieb bei diesem über 15 Jahre. Hier vervollkommnete er sich namentlich als Bogenmacher und eröffnete als solcher 1870 in der Rue du Bouloi seine eigene Werkstatt. Er war nach Tourte der beste Bogenmacher Frankreichs. Seine Bögen tragen den Brandstempel: »N. F. Voirin« den allerdings auch seine Wittwe noch benutzen liess. Sein Schüler ist A. Lamy.

Born at Mirecourt. This incomparable bow maker was trained by J.-B. Vuillaume, with whom he worked for about fifteen years. His sticks are very fine and elegant, perhaps at the expense of their strength. They are much sought after and realize high prices especially when gold-mounted. The production of this master, looked upon as the modern « Tourte », has been fairly large, but a large number of bows bearing his mark are not by him, having been made by excellent workmen in the employ of his widow, who continued the business for several years after his death. Mark: F.-N. VOIRIN.