Jean Francois Pillement

Name: Jean Francois Pillement auction price records, Amati Instrument Archive
Creator: Amati

Mirecourt, Paris, b. 1758

Jean Francois Pillement (1758-after 1830), also known as 'Pillement père', was a French luthier from Mirecourt who crafted violins, cellos, and double basses. His work, though sometimes uneven, included cellos often considered superior, and his stylistic evolution moved from the Gavinies school to Amati and then Stradivari models. His instruments were branded with various locations, including Mirecourt, Paris, and Cremona, despite all being made in Mirecourt, and a violin by him is preserved in the royal collection in Berlin.

Worked Mirecourt, Paris

Made Cello, Viola, Violin

Auction price history

Highest auction price

£7,395

Type	Details	Sold	Price
Violin	Labelled Pillement, one-piece back, table cracks	May 2020	£199
Violin	37.0 cm Mirecourt, mid19th C.	May 2011	£656
Violin	36.0 cm Mirecourt, 1800 c. [Probably by]	February 2011	£1,410
Violin	36.0 cm Mirecourt, 1810 c.	October 2009	£1,320
Violin	36.2 cm Paris, 1800 c.	June 2009	£312
Violin	36.0 cm Mirecourt, 1840 c.	June 2009	£1,037
Viola	39.3 cm Mirecourt, 1810/1820 c. (some restorations)	June 2009	£1,763
Violin	36.3 cm Mirecourt, 1840 c.	June 2009	£156
Violin	36.1 cm Mirecourt, 1840 c. (some restorations)	June 2009	£830
Violin	35.8 cm Mirecourt, 1800 c. (restored soundpost crack)	December 2008	£1,536
Cello	72.4 cm Mirecourt, 1840 c.	December 2006	£5,193
Violin	35.8 cm 1800 c.	September 2006	£300
Violin	35.9 cm Mirecourt, 1800 c.	June 2006	£809
Violin	Mirecourt, 1840 c.	November 2005	£401
Violin	France, 1810 c.	June 2005	£4,709
Violin	Mirecourt, 1830 c.	June 2004	£550
Violin	1790	November 2002	£2,530
Cello	1800	May 2001	£7,395
Cello	1790 c.	June 2000	£3,220
Violin	1790	June 2000	£860
Violin	1830	December 1999	£260
Violin	1800	March 1999	£762
Violin	1830	December 1998	£369
Violin	1815 c.	November 1996	£1,380
Violin	1790 c.	February 1994	£196
Cello	1820 c.	September 1992	£2,200
Violin	1800 c.	September 1992	£605
Violin	1790 c. 1/2 Size	July 1992	£387
Cello	1800 c.	June 1991	£2,200
Violin	1800 c.	July 1990	£352
Violin	1800 c.	July 1990	£176
Cello	1800-25	November 1986	£880
Viola	38.1 cm 1800-25	May 1986	£990
Violin	1800 c.	May 1986	£550
Violin	1800 c.	March 1986	£388
Violin	1800 c.	May 1981	£264
Cello	1800 c.	October 1980	£1,430

Maker Overview

Life

Jean Francois Pillement (1758-after 1830) was born in 1758 in Mirecourt, France, and died after 1830. He was known as 'Pillement père', and while some authorities initially assumed 'Jean François Pillement' was his son, John Dilworth clarifies that 'Jean' and 'Jean François' refer to the same individual, and this seems not to be the case. Willibald Leo Lütgendorff also notes that he was probably from Mirecourt and that a label from 1830 identifies him as F. Pillement père, suggesting a son might have also been a violin maker; this son might be the 'Lété Pillement' in Turin, whose name was found in a guitar.

Characteristics

Instrument Types: He produced many fine violins, cellos, and double basses.
Workmanship: His workmanship was not of the first order, and his materials were usually plain.
Varnish: The varnish he used was good but inconsistent in shade and texture, and, it was quite dark.
Cello Quality: Willibald Leo Lütgendorff notes that his cellos, whose backs were usually made from one piece, were generally better than his violins.
Sound Quality: Willibald Leo Lütgendorff states that his work was very uneven, with some very mediocre violins alongside others that sounded quite good.

Recorded labels

Branded internally: ‘F. Pillementi
Père. A. Cremona’, ‘Pillemont père
à Mirecourt’ or ‘F. Pillemont père
à Paris’. Pillemont père
à Mirecourt fecit
anno 1799John Dilworth
F. Pillement père
à Paris fecit
anno 1806John Dilworth

Influence and legacy

Stylistic Evolution:, his early work is attributed to the school of Gavinies style, with subsequent work on Amati and finally Stradivari models.
Museum Collections: The royal collection in Berlin possesses a violin by Pillement from the Snoeck collection (No. 532).

Found an error? Report Now

Biographies

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

John Dilworth+

PILLEMENT (PILLEMONT), (Jean) François Born 1758, d. after 1830 Mirecourt France. Known as ‘Pillement père’, since some authorities assume that ‘Jean François Pillement’ is his son, but this seems not to be the case. ‘Jean’ and ‘Jean François’ are the same individual. Many fine violins, cellos, and double basses. Branded and labelled variously ‘Mirecourt’, ‘Paris’ and ‘Cremona’, all made nevertheless in Mirecourt. Henley attributes his early work to the school of Gavinies style; subsequent work on Amati and finally Stradivari models. Workmanship not of the first order. Materials usually plain. Varnish good but inconsistent in shade and texture. Branded internally: ‘F. Pillementi / Père. A. Cremona’, ‘Pillemont père/ à Mirecourt’ or ‘F. Pillemont père/ à Paris’. Pillemont père / à Mirecourt fecit / anno 1799 F. Pillement père / à Paris fecit / anno 1806

Willibald Leo Lütgendorff+

Wahrscheinlich ein Mirecourter. Seine Arbeit ist sehr ungleichwerthig:
neben sehr mittelmässigen Violinen findet man manchmal auch solche, die recht
gut klingen. Seine Geigen kommen häufig vor, doch sind seine Violoncelli,
deren Boden meist aus einem Stuck gefertigt sind, in der Regel besser. Sein
Lack ist ziemlich dunkel. Er verwendete eine Brandmarke:
Auf einem Zettel von 1830 bezeichnet er sich als F. Pillement père. Es scheint
also auch sein Sohn Geigenmacher gewesen zu sein; vielleicht ist dies jener
»Lété Pillement« in Turin, dessen Namen man in einer Guitarre las. Die
kgl. Sammlung in Berlin besitzt aus der Sammlung Snoeck eine Geige von
Pillement (No. 532).

Sell your instrument with Amati

Get started by uploading photos of your instrument for our experts to review.

Get a Valuation

Sell your instrument with Amati

Get started by uploading photos of your instrument for our experts to review.

Get a Valuation