Gustave Villaume violin, Nancy, France, 1932

Gustave Eugene Villaume, not to be confused with the rather more famous Jean-Baptiste Vuillaume, was nonetheless a very skilled violin maker. Trained by Mouquet and Jaquet Gand, his work typifies good French handmaking of the early twentieth century, confirmed by the prizes he won in Mirecourt before WWI. This Guarneri del Gesu model is made of well-selected maple and spruce and finished with a very attractive oil varnish. This violin offers rich, ample sound production with a bright, bell-like tone full of shimmering overtones. Its fantastic responsiveness makes it a joy to play, bringing out both nuance and brilliance with ease.