Didier Nicolas l'aîné

Violin maker
(1757 – 1833)

Known as 'le Sourd' (`the deaf one'). Son of Antoine Nicolas. Highly prolific and commercial maker. The best work has his signature on the label and are good representations of the Stradivari pattern with rather large open and broadly spaced soundholes and red-brown varnish. A second category of production has a thin yellow ...Read More varnish and is in general the work of his employees. By 1810 his workshops employed around 500 craftsmen. All the instruments made are of effective rather than artistic workmanship, and on a slightly oversized pattern. Many small violas also produced. Branded within the back in pace of the label 'A la Ville de Cremonne' (sic), arranged in triangular form. The business was continued after Didier's death by his son Joseph, below, and even after Joseph's death in 1864 the distinctive triangular brand was continued by Derazey and later passed to Laberte and Magnie of Mirecourt who carried on making violins in the Didier Nicolas style well into the 20th century. Signed internally on the treble side: 'D. Nicolas aine a Mirecourt'. Read Less

Price History

- The auction record for this maker is $22,676 in Mar 1989, for a cello.
- 343 auction price results.

View all auction prices for Didier Nicolas l'aîné

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