Caressa & Francais
Encyclopedia
Caressa & Français - was a distinguished firm in Paris
that specialized in fine musical instruments and bow
s.
It was founded in 1901 by Albert Caressa and Henri Français, both of whom had worked for the GAND and BERNARDEL shop/firm (created in 1866), when they had succeeded (and purchased) the House of GAND and BERNARDEL - Luthiers du Conservatoire de musique (Luthiers of the Music Conservatory). Over the course of its lifetime this shop became a leading international centre for rare string instruments and was patronized by many of the preeminent names in the concert world. The "Caressa" firm eventually was taken over by Emile Français (son of Henri Francais) in 1938 and stayed in business until 1981.
(in 1796) through several generations of talented violin makers including Auguste Sébastien Bernardel, Gustave Bernardel, Ernest Auguste Bernardel, Eugène Gand, and Emile Français (father of Jacques Français).
Albert Caressa served his apprenticeship under GAND and BERNARDEL in Paris. In 1901, when Gustave Bernardel retired, Caressa became the head of the firm (GAND and BERNARDEL). Together with Henri Français (who also worked for the same firm) as a partner/associate, they ran the firm under the name of Caressa et Français until 1920, at which point Henri Francais retired.
The House of Caressa was eventually taken over by Emile Français (son of Henri Francais) in 1938.
The Caressa & Français firm amassed a very important collection of the finest instruments (of the violin family) which included Antonio Stradivarius, Giuseppe Guarneri
, Domenico Montagnana
, Sanctus Serafin, Lorenzo Storioni
, Rugeri, Joannes Baptista Guadagnini, Nicolas Lupot
, J. B. Vuillume
to name a few, as well as an important fine bow collection including bows by François Tourte
, Dominique Peccatte
, Jean Pierre Marie Persois
and many others.
Like many of the great Parisian violin firms, Caressa & Français sold bows under its name (branded Caressa & Français).
These bows were made by the great makers of the time including Victor Fetique
and Claude Thomassin
among others.
.
Although Jacques's passion was art, as he wanted to become an artist, his father Emile insisted and demanded that he stay in the family business. He was sent as an apprentice to Mirecourt
, the historical center of French violin-making and then went on to apprentice in Mittenwald, the German equivalent.
He served in the Free French Ski Troops during World War II
, and subsequently joined the occupation force in Vienna
, where his knowledge of French, German and English became a major asset.
According to his wife (Beatrice), Mr. Francais then came to New York to apprentice with Rembert Wurlitzer
, who ran the most complete violin restoration shop in the country under the guidance of Simone Fernando Sacconi
.
The following year he returned to Paris
to work with his father, "who drilled him intensively on authenticating instruments / recognizing the instrument's origins".
In 1948 Mr. Francais came to New York on a one-way ticket with a bunch of instruments and fine etchings, to sell on consignment, and $50 to his name, and rejoined the Wurlitzer firm for a brief period.
Having spent time under the tutelage of Master Simone Fernando Sacconi
, his skills in expertise, violin making and restoration grew to new heights. He also forged friendships with other masters that have become legendary, most notably Renè Morel.
After many years in the violin trade, he decided to set up his own business.
Jacques Francais Rare Violins Inc. took up residence in the most prominent neighborhood, right next to Carnegie Hall
at 250 W. 54th Street. He put together a formidable team inviting his friend and colleague Renè Morel (a Master Restorer), and young apprentices he hired have become the leading makers of our time: makers/restorers such as Samuel Zygmuntowicz
, Horacio Piñeiro, Boris Sverdlik, David T. Van Zandt, James N. McKean, Jerry Pasewicz, Christophe Landon and Richard Oppelt to name a few.
Today, Gael Français (Jacques Francais's nephew) continues the family luthier tradition in NYC.
, Yehudi Menuhin
, Pablo Casals
, Nathan Milstein
, David Oistrakh
, Erick Friedman
, Itzhak Perlman
, Michael Rabin
, Pinchas Zukerman
to name a few." - Gennady Filimonov
"The House of Caressa & Français was one of the world’s renowned violin making and repair shops. They had acquired the former House of Gustave Bernardel in 1901 (the former House of Gand & Bernardel Freres in Paris founded by Nicolas Lupot in 1796). Henri sold his share in the business to Albert at the end of World War I. The House of Caressa was eventually taken over by Emile Français in 1938. The shop remained open during the German occupation of Paris in World War II and closed in 1981 after the death of Lucile Caressa Français. The Paris shop was patronized by some of the greatest names in music." - Smithsonian Institution
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
that specialized in fine musical instruments and bow
Bow (music)
In music, a bow is moved across some part of a musical instrument, causing vibration which the instrument emits as sound. The vast majority of bows are used with string instruments, although some bows are used with musical saws and other bowed idiophones....
s.
It was founded in 1901 by Albert Caressa and Henri Français, both of whom had worked for the GAND and BERNARDEL shop/firm (created in 1866), when they had succeeded (and purchased) the House of GAND and BERNARDEL - Luthiers du Conservatoire de musique (Luthiers of the Music Conservatory). Over the course of its lifetime this shop became a leading international centre for rare string instruments and was patronized by many of the preeminent names in the concert world. The "Caressa" firm eventually was taken over by Emile Français (son of Henri Francais) in 1938 and stayed in business until 1981.
Biography
The Caressa & Français firm carried on the tradition established by LupotNicolas Lupot
Nicolas Lupot - born in Stuttgart, 1758-1824, was one of the most illustrious French Luthier/ Violin Makers of his time. He apprenticed under his father and worked in Orleans until 1794....
(in 1796) through several generations of talented violin makers including Auguste Sébastien Bernardel, Gustave Bernardel, Ernest Auguste Bernardel, Eugène Gand, and Emile Français (father of Jacques Français).
Albert Caressa served his apprenticeship under GAND and BERNARDEL in Paris. In 1901, when Gustave Bernardel retired, Caressa became the head of the firm (GAND and BERNARDEL). Together with Henri Français (who also worked for the same firm) as a partner/associate, they ran the firm under the name of Caressa et Français until 1920, at which point Henri Francais retired.
The House of Caressa was eventually taken over by Emile Français (son of Henri Francais) in 1938.
The Caressa & Français firm amassed a very important collection of the finest instruments (of the violin family) which included Antonio Stradivarius, Giuseppe Guarneri
Giuseppe Guarneri
Bartolomeo Giuseppe Antonio Guarneri, del Gesù was an Italian luthier from the Guarneri house of Cremona. He rivals Antonio Stradivari with regard to the respect and reverence accorded his instruments, and he has been called the finest violin maker of the Amati line...
, Domenico Montagnana
Domenico Montagnana
Domenico Montagnana was an Italian master luthier based in Venice, Italy. He is regarded as one of the world's finest violin and cello makers of his time....
, Sanctus Serafin, Lorenzo Storioni
Lorenzo Storioni
Lorenzo Storioni is considered one of the last of the classic Cremonese master violin makers/ Luthiers of the 18th century....
, Rugeri, Joannes Baptista Guadagnini, Nicolas Lupot
Nicolas Lupot
Nicolas Lupot - born in Stuttgart, 1758-1824, was one of the most illustrious French Luthier/ Violin Makers of his time. He apprenticed under his father and worked in Orleans until 1794....
, J. B. Vuillume
Jean Baptiste Vuillaume
Jean Baptiste Vuillaume was an illustrious French violin maker. He made over 3,000 instruments and was also a fine businessman and an inventor.-Early life:...
to name a few, as well as an important fine bow collection including bows by François Tourte
François Tourte
François Xavier Tourte was a Frenchman who, though trained as a watchmaker, soon changed to making bows for playing classical string instruments such as the violin....
, Dominique Peccatte
Dominique Peccatte
Dominique Peccatte was an influential French luthier and bow maker. He was apprenticed in Mirecourt and later worked with Jean Baptiste Vuillaume....
, Jean Pierre Marie Persois
Jean Pierre Marie Persois
Jean Pierre Marie Persoit [Persois] - was a great and intriguing French bowmaker or Archetier.One of the first bowmakers to be hired by the young Jean Baptiste Vuillaume....
and many others.
Like many of the great Parisian violin firms, Caressa & Français sold bows under its name (branded Caressa & Français).
These bows were made by the great makers of the time including Victor Fetique
Victor Fetique
Victor Francois FETIQUE was a prominent French Archetier / Bowmaker from a family of makers.Victor, son of Charles-Claude Fetique . Learned his craft in Mirecourt with Husson , Maline et Miquel .Later went on to work for Charles Nicolas Bazin II in 1901, before joining Caressa & Francais...
and Claude Thomassin
Claude Thomassin
Claude Auguste Thomassin was a French bow maker, or Archetier.Son of Louis Thomassin with whom he learned his craft in Mirecourt....
among others.
Caressa & Français lineage continues
Eventually, the Paris-born Jacques Francais (July 3, 1923 -Feb. 2004), son of Emile Francais and Lucile Caressa, carried on the 200 year old tradition of the family business by opening his own shop in New York City under the name of "Jacques Francais Rare Violins Inc." Francais's godfather was the violinist Jacques ThibaudJacques Thibaud
Jacques Thibaud was a French violinist.Thibaud was born in Bordeaux and studied the violin with his father before entering the Paris Conservatoire at the age of thirteen. In 1896 he jointly won the conservatory's violin prize with Pierre Monteux...
.
Although Jacques's passion was art, as he wanted to become an artist, his father Emile insisted and demanded that he stay in the family business. He was sent as an apprentice to Mirecourt
Mirecourt
Mirecourt is a commune in the Vosges department in Lorraine in northeastern France. Mirecourt is known for lace-making and the manufacture of musical instruments, particularly those of the violin family...
, the historical center of French violin-making and then went on to apprentice in Mittenwald, the German equivalent.
He served in the Free French Ski Troops during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, and subsequently joined the occupation force in Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
, where his knowledge of French, German and English became a major asset.
According to his wife (Beatrice), Mr. Francais then came to New York to apprentice with Rembert Wurlitzer
Rembert Wurlitzer Co.
Rembert Wurlitzer Co. was a distinguished firm in New York City that specialized in fine musical instruments and bows.Founded in Europe in 1856, the Wurlitzer Co. was a world-famous musical instrument company known for its many ateliers in the United States....
, who ran the most complete violin restoration shop in the country under the guidance of Simone Fernando Sacconi
Simone Fernando Sacconi
Simone Fernando Sacconi was an expert Italian violin maker and restorer who studied fellow luthier Antonio Stradivari extensively during his lifetime....
.
The following year he returned to Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
to work with his father, "who drilled him intensively on authenticating instruments / recognizing the instrument's origins".
In 1948 Mr. Francais came to New York on a one-way ticket with a bunch of instruments and fine etchings, to sell on consignment, and $50 to his name, and rejoined the Wurlitzer firm for a brief period.
Having spent time under the tutelage of Master Simone Fernando Sacconi
Simone Fernando Sacconi
Simone Fernando Sacconi was an expert Italian violin maker and restorer who studied fellow luthier Antonio Stradivari extensively during his lifetime....
, his skills in expertise, violin making and restoration grew to new heights. He also forged friendships with other masters that have become legendary, most notably Renè Morel.
After many years in the violin trade, he decided to set up his own business.
Jacques Francais Rare Violins Inc. took up residence in the most prominent neighborhood, right next to Carnegie Hall
Carnegie Hall
Carnegie Hall is a concert venue in Midtown Manhattan in New York City, United States, located at 881 Seventh Avenue, occupying the east stretch of Seventh Avenue between West 56th Street and West 57th Street, two blocks south of Central Park....
at 250 W. 54th Street. He put together a formidable team inviting his friend and colleague Renè Morel (a Master Restorer), and young apprentices he hired have become the leading makers of our time: makers/restorers such as Samuel Zygmuntowicz
Samuel Zygmuntowicz
Samuel Zygmuntowicz is a contemporary luthier. He began his instrument making training when he was thirteen years old and studied making and restoration under Peter Prier, Carl Becker and Rene Morel....
, Horacio Piñeiro, Boris Sverdlik, David T. Van Zandt, James N. McKean, Jerry Pasewicz, Christophe Landon and Richard Oppelt to name a few.
Today, Gael Français (Jacques Francais's nephew) continues the family luthier tradition in NYC.
Quotes
"The Caressa & Français firm carried on the long lineage from the times of Nicolas Lupot, and later culminated with the foremost NYC shop established by Henri Français's grandson Jacques Français (son of Emile Français and Lucile Caressa). Jacques Français shop became a prominent international centre for rare string instruments and was patronized by many of the preeminent names in the concert world such as Isaac SternIsaac Stern
Isaac Stern was a Ukrainian-born violinist. He was renowned for his recordings and for discovering new musical talent.-Biography:Isaac Stern was born into a Jewish family in Kremenets, Ukraine. He was fourteen months old when his family moved to San Francisco...
, Yehudi Menuhin
Yehudi Menuhin
Yehudi Menuhin, Baron Menuhin, OM, KBE was a Russian Jewish American violinist and conductor who spent most of his performing career in the United Kingdom. He was born to Russian Jewish parents in the United States, but became a citizen of Switzerland in 1970, and of the United Kingdom in 1985...
, Pablo Casals
Pablo Casals
Pau Casals i Defilló , known during his professional career as Pablo Casals, was a Spanish Catalan cellist and conductor. He is generally regarded as the pre-eminent cellist of the first half of the 20th century, and one of the greatest cellists of all time...
, Nathan Milstein
Nathan Milstein
Nathan Mironovich Milstein was a Russian-born American virtuoso violinist.Widely considered one of the finest violinists of the 20th century, Milstein was known for his interpretations of Bach's solo violin works and for works from the Romantic period...
, David Oistrakh
David Oistrakh
David Fyodorovich Oistrakh , , David Fiodorović Ojstrakh, ; – October 24, 1974, was a Soviet violinist....
, Erick Friedman
Erick Friedman
Erick Friedman is considered by many as one of the greatest American born violinists of the past century. Erick Friedman's illustrious career took him to many of the great concert stages of the world appearing as guest soloist with most of the great orchestras throughout the United States and...
, Itzhak Perlman
Itzhak Perlman
Itzhak Perlman is an Israeli-born violinist, conductor, and instructor of master classes. He is regarded as one of the pre-eminent violinists of the 20th and early-21st centuries.-Early life:...
, Michael Rabin
Michael Rabin
Michael Rabin may refer to:*Michael O. Rabin , computer scientist*Michael Rabin...
, Pinchas Zukerman
Pinchas Zukerman
Pinchas Zukerman is a world-renowned violinist, violist, and conductor. He is considered one of the greatest violinists of the 20th and 21st centuries, and his ongoing 45-year career has seen him perform with the world's best-known orchestras and record over 100 works...
to name a few." - Gennady Filimonov
"The House of Caressa & Français was one of the world’s renowned violin making and repair shops. They had acquired the former House of Gustave Bernardel in 1901 (the former House of Gand & Bernardel Freres in Paris founded by Nicolas Lupot in 1796). Henri sold his share in the business to Albert at the end of World War I. The House of Caressa was eventually taken over by Emile Français in 1938. The shop remained open during the German occupation of Paris in World War II and closed in 1981 after the death of Lucile Caressa Français. The Paris shop was patronized by some of the greatest names in music." - Smithsonian Institution
Further reading
- Les Luthiers Parisiens aux XIX et XX siecles Tom 3 "Jean-Baptiste Vuillaume et sa famille - Sylvette Milliot 2006
- How Many Strads?, Ernest N. Doring, William Lewis & Son, Chicago, 1945