Bass ID?????

[Mike Cox]

Hi,
Im just curious about any opinions on what this bass might be???

[Ken Smith]

Late 1800's French Gamba, big bass it looks to be. Has been sanded down and re-finished. The scratches are quite obvious. Many shops made basses like this. Lamy had a huge factory in Mirecourt in the 19th century. Other smaller shops worked there as well making almost the exact same model so it's hare to tell sometimes who made what unless something distinctive stands out. I can name 4 possible makers including Lamy but it's only a guess from looking at the pictures.

[Mike Cox]

Hi Ken,
Thanks for the quick reply! That is about what I have been told by others. Lots of possibilities, but thats about it.
Just out of curiosity... who might those 4 makers you mentioned be?

[Ken Smith]

Hi Ken,
Thanks for the quick reply! That is about what I have been told by others. Lots of possibilities, but thats about it.
Just out of curiosity... who might those 4 makers you mentioned be?

Lamy, Claudot, Jacquet family (3-4 different shops), Barbezant (Jacquet-Barbezant).

I don't think the FF's are Claudot but besides the famous Paul Claudot you have his son Felix Claudot. Not as good as the father but made basses in the same manner.

The Jacquet family are 4 makers. The father was Joseph Xavier (aka Jacquet-Pillement). The scroll and model is wrong for him as his basses had a medium size and shoulders and a different scroll, earlier than this bass. His eldest son Gabriel Xavier and middle son Gabriel (aka Jacquet-Gand) made similar basses but Gabriel's work is finer on average. Their basses are similar to this model but Gabriel made better models and cellos as well. The youngest was Joseph who for a time worked with Gabriel but later after his marriage worked with his wife's brother and the firm was named Jacquet-Barbezant. They made parts for the trade and possibly basses for Riverie-Hawkes in London, French looking basses from 1880-1889. Before Hawkes & Son came out with the Panormo design.

Last we have the J.T. Lamy factory that made all grades of basses for domestic and export as well. From plain unpurfled flatback gambas with plain wood to beautiful wooded violin cornered roundback Italian models with nice purfling and oil varnish.

This bass re-finished tells me with its not so perfect re-finish that someone thought it needed improvement. This points to Lamy for me for several reasons and maybe Gabriel X. Jacquet as a second choice.

The other shops of the period include Derazey (family), Barbe, Gand (family), Bernadel (family), Gand & Bernadel and others.

All made basses but this looks like a more commercial model. The Scroll and tuners are 4-string period (post 1850) but Lamy who did some Export as late as 1891 in a catalog page lists all bass models offered as 3-strings with 4-strings being an extra cost. France was already 4-strings in its teaching and demand. Only the older players used 3-strings but 4 was preferred as the old 3s were tuned in 5ths.

So, I said 4 makers? Sorry, 4 main families or maybe 8 or more. The bass is too generic looking to pinpoint so Mirecourt 1880-1910 is my estimate. Maybe have a look inside for a signature, possibly on the Top.

I have 3 French Basses at the moment in my stock. One is Georges Mougenot made actually in Belgium but totally French in style, Vuillaume actually. This is 1875 and 4-string from day one. One other is an old 3-string converted to 4 that I attribute to J.X. Jacquet whos label maybe in latin is written V.X. Jacquet/Jacquet-Pillement. I have seen 3 others, maybe 4 exactly like it. Great bass and very fine work with amazing wood and varnish. Definitely made before the Mirecourt commercial bass boom as I place this c.1840. The 3rd is a Paul Claudot, equally as fine as the Jacq.-Pill. but maybe a notch better. This is also a 3-string converted to 4 and the early gears included the un-matched 4th, predates the Gears on this bass shown above which I think the Gear model dates after 1850. The Claudot of mine I date to c.1840-1850 at its latest from the model and gears. The Mougenot is the only bass labeled and dated. The Claudot stamped on the original single center brace but not dated and the Jacq.-Pill. totally attributed as it is unmarked. The original braces gone and the Top re-graduated as well when I acquired it so any sign of a signature or stamp has been lost. It just matches the others that are marked at about 90% or better.

With the French makers making near identical models individually, in shop manner and factory mode as well as supplied parts pre-assembled, it is impossible to guarantee the exact maker/makers of a generic looking bass.

To add personal opinion I must say that during the same period the Germans made some similar French models as well from individual makers to shop/factory settings. The Scrolls, Gears, Varnish and rib linings separate the two countries styles. The German basses are often more boomy in sound while the French a more direct projected tone. Most of the time it's obvious to me when a Bass is German made off a French model. The French rarely did anything that looked German. Usually if I see a single hint of German on one of these similar type basses, it's usually German.