A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Lupot, Nicolas

by Edward John Payne

LUPOT, Nicolas, the most famous of French violin-makers. The family came from the village of Mirecourt in the Vosges mountains, which has for three centuries or more been the seat of a violin manufacture. Jean Lupot, the greatgrandfather of Nicolas, was a violin-maker here. His son Laurent, born 1696, established himself in the trade at Luneville (1751–1756) and Orléans (1756–1762). François, son of Laurent, first worked with his father at Luneville, and in 1758 migrated to Stuttgart, where he remained for twelve years as fiddle-maker in ordinary to the Grand Duke of Wirtemberg. In 1770 he returned, and settled at Orléans. He was the father of two sons, Nicolas, the 'French Stradivarius,' born at Stuttgart in 1758, and François, in his time a reputable bow-maker, born at Orléans in 1774. Nicolas began his career early. We have good instruments made by him at Orléans (Rue d'Illiers), before he had completed his twentieth year. These juvenile instruments are cheap in Paris at 500 francs.

In 1794 Nicolas Lupot removed to Paris and set up a shop in the Rue de Grammont (1798–1803). He afterwards removed to the Rue Croix des Petits Champs, where he made those famous copies of the great Italian makers on which his reputation rests. Lupot wisely dropped all pretensions to originality, and became the first of copyists. His favourite pattern was the Stradivarius: his few copies of Guarnerius violins are less successful. Many instruments are signed with his autograph. He made several quintets of two violins, two tenors, and bass, to which he sought to give a perfect unity of tone and appearance. These quintets fetch fancy prices: but any Lupot violin dated from 1805 to 1824 is worth from 1000 to 1200 francs. The violoncellos are rarer: a handsome one is worth 2000 francs. Nicolas Lupot ranked in his time as the first of his trade in Europe. Spohr, who long played on one of his violins, recommends him as a maker. His weakest point is his varnish. He employed several kinds: the usual one is a thick and not very transparent oil varnish, which is sometimes badly dried, and presents a rough and lumpy appearance. Lupot died in 1824. His business descended to his son-in-law, Charles Francis Gand: and the present well-known makers, Gand and Bernardel, 21 Rue Croix des Petits Champs, correctly describe themselves as the 'Ancienne Maison Lupot, 1798.' François Lupot, the bow-maker, and brother of Nicolas, invented the 'coulisse,' or metal groove attached to the 'nut,' and carefully fitted to the stick, on which it works. He died in 1837, leaving as his successor Dominique Peccate, who ranks as the best bow-maker after Tourte.

[ E. J. P. ]