Leopold Noiriel/Guadagnini

[Anselm Hauke]

i found this http://cgi.ebay.it/Contrabbasso-ital...QQcmdZViewItem
bass, and then that
http://philipjkass.com/Guadanini_speech.htm
http://www.philipjkass.com/turinspeech.htm
articles, and think thats very interesting.
what do you think?

Edit:
i added the pic and the ebay text, to save it when the ad dissapears.
Text:" Vendo bellissimo Contrabbasso italiano scuola Pressenda: Leopold Noiriel (1789-1849), lunghezza del diapason cm 106,5, fondo bombato in pioppo come le fasce, in perfetto stato. "

[Ken Smith]

This maker is listed as a French maker, not Italian. Even the first name is German I think.

The basses are even described as new. Who could have made them? Virtually the only basses known from Torino during these years were made by the Frenchman Leopold Noiriel, who was born in Mirecourt in 1789 and who moved to Turin shortly after his marriage in 1810. We lose track of him after 1835, and his death is unrecorded. He could have been the maker of these instruments. We can only speculate as to whether he was an employee of Guadagnini.

The prime instruments that were being made in the Lete-Pillement workshop were violin and guitar family instruments as well as chamber organs and serinettes. After Lete=s untimely death in 1819, his employees began to go out on their own. A number of Frenchmen turn up in the trade at this time. These included Nicolas Denis and his sons, makers of organs, serinettes and general music vendors; Francois Mulot, a maker of all sorts of instruments, Leopold Noiriel and Francois Calot, the last two makers of violins, basses, and guitars. The business did not close immediately but continued in the hands of his widow for at least another eight years. Their style and method of working would ultimately become the Turin style.

Neither Noiriel or this Pillement (Lete) are listed in Henley but do have only a slight mention in Jalovec. Thanks for posting this. I quoted the phrases mentioning Noiriel which took some reading to find. If this is true, I have learned something about the Turin region that I was before only barely aware of.

[Anselm Hauke]

Originally Posted by Ken Smith

If this is true, I have learned something about the Turin region that I was before only barely aware of.

me too

[Anselm Hauke]

is this the bass that is for sale at robertson&son for 180.000?
(iirc the "buy it now"-price was 18.000€...)

[Ken Smith]

Originally Posted by Anselm Hauke

is this the bass that is for sale at robertson&son for 180.000?
(iirc the "buy it now"-price was 18.000€...)

That is the price. Apparently someone bought it and knew or rather thought it was worth a lot. It is probably fully restored now and that I am sure raised the price from a bass as-is to a Bass fully restored. My big Gamba Bass is pegged as the best bass at the show by most of the Orchestra Pros that have played and or heard it. maybe I should raise my price.. ?? There is also a Busan here at the show that doesn't hold a candle to my English Basses as well as a small attributed Maggini that has half the sound of my Candi. A Lott Bass is also on the floor that I know at a fairly low price with a sound to match. She just aint what she used to be.

If the Pedigree is there and proven, the price is there with it. If the sound is exceptional, the price is higher yet. I haven't played the Noiriel bass much yet past plucking a few strings. I will play it a bit with the bow tomorrow and give it a good look and listen.

[Anselm Hauke]

Originally Posted by Ken Smith

I will play it a bit with the bow tomorrow and give it a good look and listen.

thanks, it would be nice to know how it sounds.


did you play the Hieronimus Amati at JD Hill?