533. H. EMILE BLONDELET (1875-1928). Violin, 1923.

Lot description

Body made of maple and spruce. Fingerboard and tailpiece in ebony. Body fillets in ebony. Bridge made of oak.
Signed in pyrography on the exterior and lower part of the body and on the inside. It also includes the original label indicating the date of creation and delivery.
It includes two bows, probably original to Blondelet, as well as a case, probably original, made of imitation rosewood, with velvet lining.
Condition consistent with use. Some wear on the top and bottom of the body, such as scuffs and scratches.
60 x 21 cm. 
 
CATALOGUE NOTE:

Hugues Émile Blondelet (Mirecourt, 1875-1928) is one of the great representatives of the French school of violin making at the beginning of the 20th century. He was trained in the exceptional craft environment of Mirecourt, the historic centre of bow instrument making in France, and he joined the renowned firm Jérôme Thibouville Lamy, one of the most important manufacturers in Europe at the time, at the age of just fifteen. There, he quickly stood out because of the accuracy of his work and the quality of his models inspired by Amati and Stradivari.
Tradition also attributes to Blondelet a training linked to the circle of Jean Baptiste Vuillaume, whose influence appears in the refinement of his finishes and in his quest for acoustic balance. In 1908, he was appointed co-director of the Thibouville Lamy house, an honour reserved only for the most prestigious masters within the firm.
Blondelet's instruments are particularly appreciated for the nobility and warmth of their sound, as well as for their quick and flexible response under the bow. His production, rather limited compared to that of other Mirecourt workshops, reveals a careful execution and a special attention to the selection of woods and varnishes, qualities that conslidated his reputation among performers and collectors.
This violin, dated 1923, belongs to the period of the author's full maturity, and that same year he received the Legion of Honour, the highest decoration awarded by the French state. At that time, models by Blondelet and the Thibouville Lamy house gained recognition in international competitions and exhibitions held in Barcelona, Ghent and Rio de Janeiro, reflecting the international prestige achieved by French violin-making in the early decades of the 20th century.
Hugues Émile Blondelet died prematurely in 1928, leaving behind a legacy that is now particularly valued for the elegance of his models and their remarkable sound quality, which is an excellent example of the best Mirecourt luthier tradition.