Paul Bailly violin #939, Paris mid-1880’s

Renowned French violin maker Paul Bailly, a pupil of Jean-Baptiste Vuillaume, was famously peripatetic, working in Lille, Douai, Mirecourt, Paris, Brussels, America, Rheims, London and Leeds before returning to Paris. This fine example, numbered #939, has a warm dark brown varnish not unlike another of his violins dated 1886. The tome is outstanding, with a fantastic and complex core. The lower strings have a gutsy richness, and the upper strings have a laser-like focus without losing vibrancy and sophistication. Great projection and a wide range of tonal colours make it an excellent choice for a young professional player.