Joseph Laurent Mast

Name: Joseph Laurent Mast auction price records, Amati Instrument Archive
Creator: Amati

Mirecourt, Toulouse, b. 1779

Joseph Laurent Mast (1779-after 1830) was a French luthier born in Mirecourt, the son and pupil of Jean Laurent Mast, and an apprentice to Didier Nicolas. He established his independent workshop in Toulouse around 1800, located in the rue des Balances. His work is noted for being more classically graceful and of better workmanship than his father's, though still recognizably Mirecourtian. He employed widely scooped archings, good materials, and a range of varnishes including traditional yellow and a better orange-red recipe. Sources offer conflicting descriptions of his soundholes. Mast was also a prolific guitar maker, branding his instruments internally with 'Mast Fils. Toulouse' and using detailed printed labels.

Worked Mirecourt, Toulouse

Made Cello, Violin

Taught by Jean Laurent Mast

Family Son of Jean Laurent Mast

Auction price history

Highest auction price

£9,000

Type	Details	Sold	Price
Cello	Bearing the maker's brands to the back and under the button, some restorations, worm, back edge blemish	December 2024	£7,766
Violin	Labelled Josephus Laurentius Mast fecit, Appollini deo harmoniae 1800	March 2024	£9,000
Violin		October 2014	£1
Violin	36.3 cm Mirecourt, 1806	February 2010	£3,849
Violin	Toulouse, 1840	June 2005	£1,345
Cello	1820	November 2003	£4,700
Violin	1820	December 2002	£5,297
Violin	1820 c.	November 1999	£690
Violin	1810	June 1999	£453
Violin	18--	November 1992	£1,650
Violin	1810 c.	November 1990	£990
Violin	1804	June 1989	£3,080
Violin	1800-50	May 1980	£605

Maker Overview

Life

Joseph Laurent Mast (1779-after 1830) was born in Mirecourt, France, in 1779 and died after 1830 in Toulouse, France.

Characteristics

Workmanship: John Dilworth describes his work as "more classically graceful" than that of his father, Jean Laurent Mast. Cecie Stainer notes that his instruments are of "better workmanship than those of his father."
Archings: His instruments feature widely scooped arching of medium height, quite flat across the centre, and are generally described as arched.
Soundholes: Sources contain conflicting information regarding the soundholes; John Dilworth describes them as "rather narrow and upright soundholes, elegantly shaped," while Willibald Leo Lütgendorff notes that "die F-Löcher sitzen bei ihm selten an der richtigen Stelle" (the F-holes are rarely in the right place), and Cecie Stainer states they are "not well cut."
Purfling: The purfling mitres are deflected strongly across the corners.
Varnish: He used a traditional Mirecourt yellow varnish, but also a "better orange red recipe,". Willibald Leo Lütgendorff mentions his varnish as yellow or reddish and good-looking, while Cecie Stainer notes he used two varnishes, one yellow-brown and the other reddish in colour.
Materials: Joseph Laurent Mast utilized good materials, including beautiful wood, for his instruments.
Decoration: Some instruments feature painted and decorated backs.
Other Instruments: He was also a prolific guitar maker.

Recorded labels

Joseph Laurentius Mast fecit
Apollini, Deo Harmonia
1816John Dilworth
Racommodé par Mast, rue
des Balances à Toulouse, 1808John Dilworth

Influence and legacy

Parentage: Joseph Laurent Mast was the son and pupil of Jean Laurent Mast.
Apprenticeship: He was apprenticed to Didier Nicolas.
School:, his work clearly shows the influence of his Mirecourtian school.
Museum Collections: A violin made by Joseph Laurent Mast is preserved in the Paris Conservatoire Collection.

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Biographies

The overview above is drawn from the following published accounts. Read them in the original:

John Dilworth+

MAST, Joseph Laurent Born 1779 Mirecourt, d.after 1830 Toulouse France. Son and pupil of Jean Laurent Mast, above. Apprenticed to Didier Nicolas. Established independently in Toulouse c.1800, in the rue des Balances. More classically graceful work than that of Jean Laurent, although still recognisably Mirecourtian. Widely scooped arching of medium height, quite flat across the centre. Rather narrow and upright soundholes, elegantly shaped. Purfling mitres deflected strongly across the corners. Traditional Mirecourt yellow varnish but also a better orange red recipe. Good materials. Some instruments with painted and decorated backs. Also prolific guitar maker. Branded internally and beneath back button: ‘Mast Fils. Toulouse’. Printed labels: Joseph Laurentius Mast fecit / Apollini, Deo Harmonia / 1816 Racommodé par Mast, rue / des Balances à Toulouse, 1808

Cecie Stainer+

Son of Jean Laurent Mast. Was born at Mirecourt and was still there in 1820. He was apprenticed to Nicolas there at the sign of “A la ville de Cremone,” and then settled in Toulouse. Several of his violins are known, and are said to be of better workmanship than those of his father. They are arched, the sound-holes are not well cut, and he used two varnishes, one yellow-brown and the other reddish colour.
He branded his instruments with ” Mast fils Toulouse, 1825.” There is a violin in the Paris Conservatoire Collection which has the label : ” Josephus Laurentius Mast fecit Apollini Deo Harmonise 1816, repare chez Schubert Epinal, 1831.”

Willibald Leo Lütgendorff+

Geb. in Mirecourt, Sohn von Jean L. M., Schüler von Didier Nicolas.
Seine Arbeit lasst seine Schule deutlich erkennen, doch hat er einzelne Geigen
aus schönem Holz mit grosser Sorgfalt durchgeführt, nur die F-Löcher sitzen
bei ihm selten an der richtigen Stelle. Sein Lack ist gelb oder röthlich und sieht gut aus. Er verwandte nebenstehende Brandmarke: der er manchmal die Jahreszahl beifügte und verschiedene Zettel.

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