AUGUSTINUS CHAPPUY viola, fecit Parisiis 1765, Warren certificate | Metzler Violins

[further details about this instrument are forthcoming]

nimble, complex, heroic

About the Instrument
This viola has a gorgeous breadth of sound, simultaneously warm and bright. It has a focused responsiveness, clear and nimble when played. The beauty and complexity of its timbre makes for an excellent instrument to play solo pieces or in a group. The umber varnish is applied across its two-piece quarter cut maple back, the fine flames falling slightly from the center joint. The ribs are similarly lively, the scroll made of a somewhat plainer wood. Considering the age of this instrument, it has repaired cracks. One is on the upper and another on the lower portion of the bass side of the middle bout, as well as a crack descending from the treble f-hole. Further details about these repairs is forthcoming. It is in good, playable condition.

Interior label reads: [forthcoming]
Length: 405 mm (15 15/16”)
Upper Bouts: 191 mm
Middle Bouts: 130 mm
Lower Bouts: 237 mm

About the Maker
Nicolas Augustin Chappuy (c. 1730-1784) was born in the historic luthier city of Mirecourt, France, where he initially learned the craft. When Chappuy was about twenty, he moved to Paris to continue to make instruments. He returned to Mirecourt twenty years later, living and working there until his death. Chappuy’s pieces embody the influence of the Mirecourt and “Vieux Paris” schools of violin making in which he trafficked, with flat archings, widely spaced f-holes, and broader scrolls. He was astonishingly prolific, with the inevitable varied quality production at such a clip will incur. In addition to violins and violas, Chappuy crafted quintons and pochettes. He held the title “Luthier de S.A.R. la Duchesse de Montpensier” and often branded his instruments.