Tarisio

This instrument represents a rare departure in the oeuvre of Jean-Baptiste Vuillaume, being one of the few cellos he constructed after the 1701 ‘Servais’ Stradivari. While the ‘Duport’ Stradivari of 1711 served as the primary inspiration for the majority of his cellos—due in part to its long presence in 19th-century Paris—the ‘Servais’ model was more commonly associated with his brother, Nicolas François Vuillaume of Brussels where the ‘Servais’ Stradivari lived with its Belgian owner, cellist Adrien-François Servais.

Modeled after the larger and presence-full ‘Servais’, Jean-Baptiste’s cello dated 1864 possesses a powerful and resonant voice characterized by remarkable depth and projection, yet it remains notably comfortable for the performer to play. Vuillaume's masterful craftsmanship is evident in every detail, reflecting his devotion to emulating the great Cremonese makers and his tireless pursuit of perfection in both form and acoustics.

The instrument was most recently in the possession of Ronald Lipscomb, the distinguished American cellist and dedicated champion of classical music performance and education. Lipscomb also performed on records with jazz musicians such as Bernard Purdie, Alice Coltrane, and Milt Jackson, among many others.