Born at Mirecourt, 1843. Apprenticed to Deroux. Worked for Darche at Aix-la-Chapelle, 1864. Lived at Liege, 1867. Succeeded to the business of N. F. Vuillaume at Brussels, 1875. Died in 95th year, 1937. Superb modelling, Stradivarian and Guarnerian, delightful avoidance of any coquetting with those perfect designs. Idiosyncrasies of the two different types of sound-holes very cleverly realised. Particularly elegant scrolls, felicitous in refined carving, bold without stiffness, and altogether impressive. Magnificently tonal belly wood scrupulously chosen for its thin grain, backs of the richest material. Brown-red varnish for the Strad copies, golden-red for the Guarnerius, both of a beautiful oil preparation, transparent and full of life. Gold medals at Paris (1878), Amsterdam (1883), and Antwerp (1885 and 1894). ’Cellos of the same noble forms and varnish. Occasionally copied the Maggini violin of De Bériot. Built two specimens for the Amsterdam Exhibition, having the portraits of Mozart and Beethoven painted on embedded ivory at the lower part of the back. Another violin had an inlaid design of the Amsterdam coat-of-arms. £125, 1960.
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G.M.
Georges Mougenot, luthier du/
Conservatoire Royal, Bruxelles 1899
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Georges Mougenot
Bruxehles 1898
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(written)
Also bearing signature etc. across and at the foot. Some instruments branded inside.
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Copie du Roi Joseph par
Georges Mougenot luthier du
Conservatoire Royal de Bruxelles 1900
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Label of instruments made by his assistants:
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G.M.
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Rue Saint Jean 47 Bruxelles
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“Made in Belgium” either above or below. Invented a bridge of “double pressure” for augmenting sonority of third string.
Born at Mirecourt, 1843. Apprenticed to Deroux. Worked for Darche at Aix-la-Chapelle, 1864. Lived at Liege, 1867. Succeeded to the business of N. F. Vuillaume at Brussels, 1875. Died in 95th year, 1937. Superb modelling, Stradivarian and Guarnerian, delightful avoidance of any coquetting with those perfect designs. Idiosyncrasies of the two different types of sound-holes very cleverly realised. Particularly elegant scrolls, felicitous in refined carving, bold...
Mougenot,Georges
