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Vince Jesse
07-29-2010, 02:41 PM
Hi. Someone brought this bass to me for some minor work. Here are some measurements:

lower bout width 25.5"
upper bout width 20.5"
rib depth not including plates lower bout 7 7/8"
rib depth at neck block 7 7/8"
length of back from bottom of bass to top of button 45 3/4"
string length 42 3/8"

no "break" in the flat back.

Very long scroll and pegpox.

Three back braces.

Top looks heavily wooded.

The back has a center seam inlay and the varnish over this must have deteriorated, giving the varnish on the back that look.

There is a faint stamp in the back that's impossible to make out and a partial label that says "Bonne..." The stamp looks like it's from a general musical instrument shop. Pianos, organs, etc.

Anyone have some insight into this bass? It sounds great.

Ken Smith
07-29-2010, 03:11 PM
What do I win?

It want's to be a Jacquet and might well be. The Purfling is a big further then the edge from the others I have seen so not quite as nice. The scroll is the typical Guild/Union made Scroll as fond on most French Basses from the latter part of the 19th century. I only have the body, purfling, FFs and Varnish to go by but even then, the Varnish was done by the Guild as well.

The Back style without rib taper or angle break from either the upper corner blocks or both the lower and upper on some does not fit any Jacquet I have seen. The FFs don't match the examples I have seen from 3 of the makers, the 4th having worked with one of the brothers or his brother-in-law so I have never seen his personal work.

This family of 4 makers specialized in basses and became quite famous for them. I would not rule out a lower grade Mirecourt copy either.

Jacquet style is all I can say for sure. Unless someone has seen a similar labeled or branded Jacquet bass and deemed authentic I can't say for sure it can be attributed to them. Just 'in the style of' is the safest way to go.

Eric Hochberg
07-29-2010, 03:56 PM
Did a little sleuthing on the label and found this regarding a violin for sale on the Wichita Band site:

A SUPERB FRENCH VIOLIN BY THEODORE HUSSON, CIRCA 1890. A recent acquisition to our collection, this particular instrument has come to us in virtually pristine original condition. The label reads “Medailles d’or & d’argent, E. BONNEL, luthier, Rennes”.
Made during the period that Theodore Husson was working for Bonnel’s shop in Rennes, our violin is signed on the upper inside table by the name of the maker. The brandstamp of the maker is just under the tailpiece button, but is nearly illegible. Our violin has a two-piece back of broad Vosges mountains maple and the one-piece top is of of narrow grained spruce. The varnish is the typical French red-brown that is usually associated with the best Paris luthiers.

The “Universal Dictionary of Violin and Bow Makers” by William Henley gives the maker quite a good report: “HUSSON, Theodore. Born 1858. Pupil of Mougenot. Associated with Bonnel at Rennes, 1887. Died 1907. Made 100 violins and 10 ‘cellos----nearly all having the label of Bonnel. Splendid modelling and refined workmanship. Yellow red varnish.“ and:

“BONNEL, Emile. Established at Rennes, 1860-1899. Fine flat modelling after Stradivarian style. Particularly handsome wood for slab backs. Lustrous red varnish. Fine full tone...”

The “Dictionnaire Universel des Luthiers” of Rene Vannes also gives the shop a glowing report: “HUSSON, Theodore. Ne a Mirecourt en 1858. Eleve de Mougenot et plus tard, son premier ouvrier. Le 14-3-1887, il fut appele par Emile Bonnel de Rennes comme premier ouvrier egalement. A la mort de son patron, il prit la direction de l’atelier pour la Veuve Bossard, l’associee de Bonnel. Il mourut a la tache, le 13-10-1907 apres avoir, pour une grande part contribue au succes et a la fortune de cette maison. Une centaine de violons, 10 cellos et 2 altos portant l’etiquette Bonnel, sont sortis de ses mains. Tres peu d’instruments sont signes Th. Husson. Belle lutherie d’apres les models italiens, vernis jaune rouge.” and: “BONNEL, Emile. Fils et eleve de Joseph Bonnel. Ne a Domvallier (Vosges) en 1835; reprit en 1879 la maison de son pere qui avait ete vendue deux ans auparavant. Il eut son neveu Bossard comme associe et la maison passa sous la raison sociale: Bonnel et Neveu. A la mort de Ch. Claudot, san 1er. ouvrier (1887) il fait appel a Th. Husson. Emile B. mourut a Rennes le 17-7-1891. Son neveu lui succede, mais ce dernier mourut 5 ans plus tard; sa femme prend la succession en 1907 aven son fils Marius Bossard. Bonne lutherie tres estimee. La plupart de ses instrumetns furent contruits par son premier ouvrier Husson.”

Google Translation

Do a (born in) Mirecourt in 1858. A pupil of Mougenot and later its first worker. On 14-3-1887, he was called by Emile Bonnel of Rennes first worker also. On the death of his boss, he became director of the workshop for the Widow Bossard, the associated Bonnel. He died at the spot, on 13-10-1907 after having, in large part contributed to the success and fortune of this house. One hundred violins, cellos and two violas 10 bearing the label Bonnel, got out of his hands. Very few instruments are signs Th Husson. Beautiful violin after the models of Italian red yellow varnish. "And:" Bonnel, Emile. Son and pupil of Joseph Bonnel. Do a DOMVALLIER (Vosges) in 1835 continued in 1879 the house of his father who had been sold two years ago. It was his nephew Bossard as associates and the house went under the name: Bonnel and Neveu. On the death of Ch Claudot, san 1. Workers (1887) he uses a Th Husson. Emile B. died at Rennes on 17-7-1891. His nephew succeeds him, but he died five years later, his wife took over in 1907 his son Marius adventure Bossard. Very good violin estimated. Most of his instrumetns were constructed by the first worker Husson. "

Ken Smith
07-29-2010, 04:06 PM
The “Universal Dictionary of Violin and Bow Makers” by William Henley gives the maker quite a good report: “HUSSON, Theodore. Born 1858. Pupil of Mougenot. Associated with Bonnel at Rennes, 1887. Died 1907. Made 100 violins and 10 ‘cellos----nearly all having the label of Bonnel. Splendid modelling and refined workmanship. Yellow red varnish.“

Pupil of LEON Mougenot? Correct? His father Georges worked in Brussels, not Mirecourt then. Leon was in Mirecourt.

One of the daughters of Gabriel Jacquet-Gand married Leon Mougenot. They advertised their products together for a time as well. Perhaps this is the connection as this looks less like a makers bass and more like a production type instrument.

Vince Jesse
07-29-2010, 04:15 PM
Thanks, Eric. I'd been told that this bass was a Jacquet but it wasn't like the other ones I've had the opportunity to inspect.

Ken Smith
07-29-2010, 04:43 PM
Thanks, Eric. I'd been told that this bass was a Jacquet but it wasn't like the other ones I've had the opportunity to inspect.

Oh, so you don't need the info on Jacquet I posted for you?:(

Vince Jesse
07-29-2010, 05:11 PM
Thank you Ken. You're a fountain of knowledge.

Ken Smith
07-29-2010, 05:31 PM
Thank you Ken. You're a fountain of knowledge.

Thanks, I knew you would notice that..:D