Louis Guersan viola, Paris, 1769, 15 ½“

Louis Guersan was one of the more prominent and successful French Luthiers of the mid-late eighteenth century with a close association with the French royal family that might not have stood him in good stead if he had lived long enough to witness the French Revolution of 1789 onwards. This small-sale viola, with a back measurement of 15 ½ inches (395mm) has a surprisingly big tone given its size, with richness, warmth and definition on the lower strings, and a lovely range of tonal colours across the whole instrument, This will be a great viola for a serious player looking for something special and distancing without demanding any physical strain.