Pierre Silvestre

Violin maker
(1801 – 1859)

Pierre Silvestre apprenticed locally in Mirecourt before moving to Paris to work for Nicolas Lupot and Gand père. In 1829 he left the Gand workshop to start his own business in Lyon. Silvestre's brother Hippolyte ...Read More joined him two years later, and the brothers produced instruments jointly as a partnership. Of the two, Pierre is perhaps regarded as superior, but both were accomplished as individuals. Built mostly on Stradivari and Guarneri models, their work is of excellent craftsmanship and tone, and is among the finest produced in 19th century France. Varnish is often a dark red, with some antiquing. After Hippolyte's retirement in 1848, Pierre continued to work alone until his death in 1859. Read Less