François Caussin violin labeled "Nicolaus Gagliano," Bernard Millant certificate | Metzler Violins

supple, resonant, responsive

About the Instrument
This violin’s supple tonal quality is clear and sweet without sacrificing the beautifully resonant lower registers. Caussin chose particular woods to replicate the Gagliano model. The varnish is golden-brown of excellent quality, with a thoughtfully antiqued patina. The sound-holes and scroll are artistic, the front and back plates accented with lovely purfling. Small repair on the neck of the instrument, which includes a Bernard Millant certificate of authenticity.

Interior label reads: “Nicolaus Gagliano fecit Neap / anno 1712”
Length: 361 mm
Upper Bouts: 169 mm
Middle: 113 mm
Lower Bouts: 207 mm

About the Maker
François Caussin (1794-1866) was born in Rouvres-la-Chétive, Vosges and trained under Louis Gaillard and then Didier Nicolas l’aîne in Mirecourt. Caussin established his own atelier in Rouvres-la-Chétive in 1815, before moving to Neufchâteau in the north of France in 1830. He emulated the styles of his contemporary, the masterful Jean-Baptiste Vuillaume, and often affixed labels that only bore the names of the classical Italian makers who inspired the instrument’s creation. To that end, Caussin accomplished beautifully crafted violins based on Amati, Stradivari, and Gagliano models (this instrument is an example of the latter). Caussin’s sons and nephew joined his workshop, which helped establish an aesthetic dubbed the “School of Caussin,” though those crafted by the patriarch are most prized.