Charles François Gand (1787–1845) was one of the foremost

violin maker A luthier ( ; AmE also ) is a craftsperson who builds or repairs string instruments that have a neck and a sound box. The word "luthier" is originally French and comes from the French word for lute. The term was originally used for makers of ...

luthier A luthier ( ; AmE also ) is a craftsperson who builds or repairs string instruments that have a neck and a sound box. The word "luthier" is originally French and comes from the French word for lute. The term was originally used for makers o ...

and dealers of his time. Known as Gand Père, Charles François Gand was the son and pupil of Charles Michel Gand, a violin maker who was living in

Mirecourt Mirecourt () is a commune in the Vosges department in Grand Est in northeastern France. Mirecourt is known for lace-making and the manufacture of musical instruments, particularly those of the Violin family. Inhabitants are called Mirecurtiens. G ...

around 1750, before coming to

Versailles The Palace of Versailles ( ; french: Château de Versailles ) is a former royal residence built by King Louis XIV located in Versailles, about west of Paris, France. The palace is owned by the French Republic and since 1995 has been managed, u ...

in 1780. Charles Francois first worked with

Nicolas Lupot 'Nicolas Lupot'' (4 December 1758 – 14 August 1824) was one of the most illustrious French luthiers (violin makers) of his time. Lupot was born in Stuttgart. He was apprenticed to his father and worked in Orléans until 1794. Soon after, he m ...

from 1802 to 1810, then joined his father's workshop (some of the instruments from this period are labeled as made between 1807 and 1816). At the death of his father in 1820, Charles François Gand took over the workshop of Jean Gabriel Koliker at 24

rue Croix-des-Petits-Champs The Rue Croix-des-Petits-Champs is a street in the 1st arrondissement of Paris, France. Name The street was built on a land that consisted of gardens named ''petits champs'' ("small fields"). A cross (''croix'' in French) was located next to a h ...

in Paris. He married Nicolas Lupot's adopted daughter and succeeded Lupot in 1824. Charles François Gand is considered as one of the important French violin makers. His instruments are typical of the French school of this period and the finest examples are very much influenced by Lupot. They are bold and powerful, coated with a rich red-brown or orange-brown varnish on a golden/yellow ground. His collaborators in the shop included: Auguste Sebastien Bernardel,

Georges Chanot Georges may refer to: Places *Georges River, New South Wales, Australia *Georges Quay (Dublin) *Georges Township, Fayette County, Pennsylvania Other uses *Georges (name) * ''Georges'' (novel), a novel by Alexandre Dumas * "Georges" (song), a 1977 ...

(1821), Joseph Louis Germain (1840–1845) and Pierre Silvestre (1824–1829). At Charles François Gand's death in 1845, his son and pupil, Charles Adolphe Gand, succeeded him. Gand was appointed luthier to the Royal Court of France and

Paris Conservatoire The Conservatoire de Paris (), also known as the Paris Conservatory, is a college of music and dance founded in 1795. Officially known as the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique et de Danse de Paris (CNSMDP), it is situated in the avenue ...

. He completed a set of instruments begun by Lupot for the Royal Orchestra, but most of them were destroyed in a fire at the

Tuileries The Tuileries Palace (french: Palais des Tuileries, ) was a royal and imperial palace in Paris which stood on the right bank of the River Seine, directly in front of the Louvre. It was the usual Parisian residence of most French monarchs, from ...

in 1871. Charles Francois Gand is ranked as a serious rival to both

and

Jean-Baptiste Vuillaume Jean-Baptiste Vuillaume (7 October 1798 – 19 March 1875) was a French luthier, businessman, inventor and winner of many awards. His workshop made over 3,000 instruments. Early life Vuillaume was born in Mirecourt, where his father and gr ...

as a luthier. His work is superb and mainly on the Stradivari models.

Honors and awards

*Luthier de la Musique du Roi (Luthier of the King's Music) *Luthier de l'Ecole Royale de Musique (Luthier of the Royal School of Music) *Luthier du Conservatoire Royal de Musique (Luthier of the Royal Music Conservatory)

Honors and awards

References

Further reading