United States School
Paul Francois Blanchard
Cesena, Chicago, Lyon, Mirecourt, 1851–1912
Paul Francois Blanchard (1851-1912) was a highly esteemed and productive French luthier, born in Mirecourt and active in Lyons.
Instruments
Auction price history
Highest auction price
| Type | Details | Sold | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violin | Labelled Fait par Paul Blanchard à Lyon en 1901 n°. 546, signed internally on the table and back | March 2025 | £9,600 |
| Violin | Labelled Fait par Paul Blanchard à Lyon en 1912 N° 863, branded P. Blanchard à Lyon internally | March 2025 | £9,600 |
| Violin | Bearing the maker's label n. 437 and signature, many restorations including table sound post crack | December 2024 | £4,970 |
| Violin | Labelled Fait par Paul Blanchard à Lyon en 1886 No. 133 P. B., branded P. Blanchard a Lyon | November 2024 | £9,269 |
| Violin | Bearing the maker's label n. 417 and signatures to the table and back, minor back restoration, minor worm | June 2024 | £9,573 |
| Violin | Labelled Fait par Paul Blanchard, à Lyon en 1890 n° 226, inscribed Fait à Lyon, Paul Blanchard, 1890 | May 2024 | £11,350 |
| Violin | Labelled Fait par Paul Blanchard à Lyon en 1904, n°609, branded to the inside and to the lower rib PB | May 2024 | £6,444 |
| Violin | Stradivari model, bearing the maker's label and brand, two-piece back, in very good and playing condition | December 2023 | £7,448 |
| Violin | Bearing the maker's label n. 265 and signature, fingerboard missing, ribs blemishes, back restoration | November 2023 | £6,487 |
| Violin | Labelled Fait par Paul Blanchard à Lyon en 1898 No. 469, branded to the block P. Blanchard à Lyon | November 2023 | £11,423 |
| Violin | Labelled Fait par Paul Blanchard, a Lyon en 1910 no. 769, branded to the block P. Blanchard a Lyon | October 2023 | £9,413 |
| Violin | 35.7 cm Lyon, 1893 n°311 | December 2011 | £13,210 |
| Violin | 35.6 cm Lyon, 1905 n°638 | December 2011 | £6,341 |
| Violin | 35.8 cm Lyon, 1918 [Workshop of] | October 2011 | £1,778 |
| Violin | 35.7 cm Lyon, 1897 n°416 | June 2011 | £7,715 |
| Violin | 35.7 cm Lyon, 1912 n°831 | June 2011 | £8,266 |
| Violin | 35.6 cm Lyon, 1912 | May 2011 | £9,468 |
| Violin | 35.5 cm Lyon, 1897 n°423 | December 2010 | £4,660 |
| Violin | 35.7 cm Lyon, 1904 n°607 | December 2010 | £7,249 |
| Viola | 40.0 cm Lyon, 1895 n°378 | October 2010 | £7,800 |
| Violin Bow | S/E 58.0 g. [Made for] | July 2010 | £1,615 |
| Violin | 36.1 cm [Workshop of] | June 2010 | £2,160 |
| Violin | 35.8 cm Lyon, 1891 n°251 | June 2010 | £5,696 |
| Violin | 36.0 cm Lyon, 1899 [Workshop of] | June 2010 | £3,107 |
| Violin | 35.9 cm Lyon, 1899 [Workshop of] | April 2010 | £1,995 |
| Violin | 57.5 cm Lyon, 1896 n°402 | October 2009 | £6,303 |
| Violin | 35.7 cm Lyon, 1910 c. | October 2009 | £10,381 |
| Violin | 35.6 cm Lyon, 1889 | June 2009 | £3,319 |
| Violin | 35.7 cm Lyon, 1910 c. | May 2009 | £4,270 |
| Violin | 35.7 cm Lyon, 1894 "1894 Universal Expostion" | December 2008 | £10,443 |
| Violin | 35.7 cm Lyon, 1911 | October 2008 | £8,750 |
| Violin | 35.6 cm Lyon, 1886 #122 | June 2008 | £4,642 |
| Violin | 35.9 cm Lyon, 1891 [Workshop] | June 2008 | £2,785 |
| Violin | 35.8 cm Lyon, 1907 [Workshop of] | May 2008 | £1,646 |
| Violin | 35.7 cm Lyons, 1912, #830 | December 2007 | £5,531 |
| Violin | 35.7 cm Lyon, 1885 c. [Workshop of] | October 2007 | £1,625 |
| Violin | 35.9 cm Lyons, 1888, #183 | June 2007 | £5,451 |
| Violin | 35.5 cm Lyon, 1912 | March 2007 | £7,105 |
| Violin | 35.7 cm Lyon, 1907 #667 | November 2006 | £5,400 |
| Cello | 76.1 cm Lyon, 1900 | October 2006 | £15,395 |
| Viola | 42.2 cm Cesena, 1983 | October 2006 | £2,925 |
| Viola | 40.7 cm Chicago, 1992 | October 2006 | £2,925 |
| Violin | 35.8 cm Lyon, 1900 | May 2006 | £4,905 |
| Violin | 36.0 cm Lyons, 1887 | May 2006 | £1,075 |
| Violin | 35.6 cm Lyons, 1899 [Workshop of] | May 2006 | £1,202 |
| Violin | Lyons, 1900 #528 | December 2005 | £3,991 |
| Violin | Lyons, 1901 | December 2005 | £5,188 |
| Violin | Lyon, 1893 #314 | November 2005 | £7,106 |
| Violin | Lyon, 1910 #754 | November 2005 | £6,316 |
| Violin | Lyon, 1901 | November 2005 | £6,568 |
| Violin | [Attributed to] | September 2005 | £3,120 |
| Violin | Lyon, 1895 #789 | May 2005 | £6,781 |
| Violin | Lyon, 1895 #381 | May 2005 | £6,458 |
| Violin | Lyon, 1895 #288 | May 2005 | £5,651 |
| Violin | [Attributed to] | May 2005 | £2,442 |
| Violin | 1903 | October 2003 | £2,946 |
| Violin | 1912 c. | October 2003 | £3,944 |
| Violin | 1899 | July 2003 | £2,585 |
| Violin | 1887 | March 2002 | £6,000 |
| Cello | 1895 | December 2001 | £7,092 |
| Violin | 1886 | June 2001 | £5,167 |
| Violin | 1898 | March 2001 | £5,400 |
| Violin | 1907 | December 2000 | £4,894 |
| Violin | 1908 | December 2000 | £4,689 |
| Violin | 1888 | June 2000 | £1,495 |
| Violin | 1912 | November 1999 | £9,775 |
| Violin | 1907 | December 1998 | £4,839 |
| Violin | 1888 | June 1998 | £6,679 |
| Viola | 41.4 cm 1894 | March 1997 | £8,625 |
| Violin | 1912 | June 1996 | £9,200 |
| Violin | 1910 | March 1996 | £7,475 |
| Viola | 1903 | June 1995 | £3,450 |
| Violin | 1911 | March 1994 | £7,820 |
| Violin | 1905 | November 1992 | £7,150 |
| Violin | 1905 | June 1992 | £5,500 |
| Violin | 1886 | March 1991 | £4,620 |
Maker Overview
Life
Paul Francois Blanchard (1851-1912) was born on February 10, 1851, in Mirecourt, Vosges, and died in 1912 in Lyons, France.
Characteristics
- Models
- Paul Francois Blanchard generally followed the patterns of Stradivari and G. Guarneri, sometimes also building after Amati.
- Varnish
- His own instruments featured a fine, clear, golden-red oil varnish, described as very transparent and amber-red with a fiery, saturated appearance.
- Workshop Instruments
- Cheaper quality instruments, made by his employees, had a consistently good finish but were characterized by a pale gold varnish.
- Tone
- His instruments were noted for their powerful and clear tone, showing great equality on all strings.
- Production
- Up until a certain point, he had made 379 numbered instruments, producing between 25 and 30 new instruments annually.
- Aging
- He did not attempt to artificially age his violins.
- Fait par Paul Blanchard
à Lyon en 1887John Dilworth - No. 137 Fait dans l’AtJohn Dilworth
- No. 137 Fait dans l’Atelier
de P Blanchard. Lyon. 1892Brumpton Import
Influence and legacy
- Family Influence: He was the grandson of François Blanchard, who was a maker of guitars.
- Apprenticeship: He was apprenticed to Auguste Darte from 1865, who was a pupil of J. B. Vuillaume and successor to Nicolas Vuillaume.
- Early Employment: He worked for Daniel in Marseilles in 1868 and subsequently for Silvestre neveu in Lyons for seven years.
- Awards: He was awarded medals at several Exhibitions, including a silver medal at Paris in 1889 and the "Grand Prix" at the Lyons Exhibition in 1894.
- Appointments: He was appointed "Luthier du conservatoire national, de l'orchestre et des theatres municipaux" and luthier to the Lyons Conservatoire, theatres, and orchestra.
Biographies
The overview above is drawn from the following published accounts. Read them in the original:
John Dilworth+
BLANCHARD, Paul François Born 1851 Mirecourt, died 1912 Lyons France. Grandson of François Blanchard, above. Apprenticed to Auguste Darte from 1865. Subsequently worked for Daniel in Marseilles and Silvestre in Lyons. Established own workshop in Lyons in 1870. Awarded medals at several Exhibitions. Appointed luthier to the Lyons Conservatoire, theatres, and orchestra. Highly esteemed and productive maker; employed several assistants. Stradivari and Guarneri models with fine clear golden-red oil varnish. Cheaper quality instruments all of consistently good finish, but with pale gold varnish, made by employees in the workshop. Fait par Paul Blanchard / à Lyon en 1887, No. 137 Fait dans l’At
Cecie Stainer+
Grandson of François Blanchard, a maker of guitars ; b. Feb. 10, 1851, Mirecourt (Vosges); apprenticed there (1865) to Auguste Darte (pupil of J. B. Vuillaume and successor to Nicolas Vuillaume) 1868, worked a few months at Marseilles with Daniel, and in October, 1869, settled at Lyons, working under Silvestre neveu, until he started his own business, 45, rue Ferrandieri, in 1876, which he moved, 1890, to 77, rue de la Republique.
Two workmen are employed, one for repairs, the other for new instruments Blanchard himself repairs old instruments and makes all the new violins, which have his label: “Fait par Paul Blanchard a Lyon en 18—, No. —,” priced at £12 each. Up till now he has made 379 instruments (all numbered), he makes from 25 to 30 a year; about the same number made by his workmen are sold at half the price of his own and are labelled : ” Fait dans l’atelier de P. Blanchard, Lyon, 18—.” Instruments made by his pupils are sold at £3 or £4 each, and have a label representing the Lyons city arms inscribed, ” Lugdunum, anno 18—.”
Blanchard generally follows the Stradivari and G. Guarneri patterns, but does not attempt to artificially age his violins; the tone shows great equality on all the strings, is powerful and clear, the oil varnish, very transparent, is a golden red colour for his own instruments, a lighter colour for those made in his shop.
He first exhibited at Paris, 1889, and gained a silver medal; was awarded the ” Grand Prix ” at the Lyons Exhibition in 1894;” appointed ” Luthier du conservatoire national, de l’orchestre et des theatres municipaux.”
Willibald Leo Lütgendorff+
Schüler von Auguste Darte, arbeitete bei Daniel in Marseille und war dann
7 Jahre lang Gehilfe im Hause Silvestre in Lyon. Im Jahre 1876 gründete
er in Lyon sein eigenes Geschäft und brachte es bald als geschickter Geigenmacher
und Reparateur zu grossem Ansehen. Seine Arbeit ist tadellos; schönes
Holz und feiner, ambrarother, feuriger Lack von gesättigtem Aussehen zeichnen
seine Instrumente, die sehr gut im Ton sind, aus. Er baut hauptsächlich nach
Ant. Stradivari und Guarneri mit vielem Glück, manchmal auch nach Amati. Er
besitzt viele erste Preise, ist Geigenmacher des Conservatoriums in Lyon und
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Working in Cesena at the same time
A. W. Reitz b. 1867
Adolphe Dupary 1870–1940
Aimable Antoine Thouvenel 1815–1890
Albert Cunin 1865–1890
Albert Joseph Deblaye 1874–1929
Albert Laurent 1884–1924
Albert Michel Mangenot 1891–1914