Francois Fent violin, Paris, with Warren certificate | Metzler Violins

sweet, rich, clear

About the Instrument
This violin has a lovely tonal quality and responsive brilliancy, projecting and resonant. Its warm brown varnish is plentifully applied over golden wheat ground. Its single-piece back bears an interesting grain characteristic that runs near its center. Like most of Fent’s Stradivarius copies, this violin doesn’t bear a date. Yet, because of the location noted on the interior label, Fent made this instrument between 1765-1792. This violin is in excellent condition.

Interior label reads: “Fait par FENT / Maitre Lutier, rue de Montmarte, / Cul-de-sac Saint Pietre, à Paris”
Length: 358 mm
Upper Bouts: 167 mm
Middle: 110 mm
Lower Bouts: 201 mm

About the Maker
François Fent (1733-1796) was born Franz Fendt in Füssen, Germany. While in Füssen, Fent trained under the luthier Johann Anton Gedler. Upon his move to Paris in 1760, Fent adopted a French spelling of his name and situated in his atelier Monmarte. Fent looms large as a masterful luthier in pre-revolutionary French violin making, known for his sophisticated craftwork. While trained in Germany and pursuing his career in France, Fent was a close study of Italian luthiers, particularly Antonio Stradivari—subsequently building fine Stradivarius copies. Fent made a particular effort to delineate between Vieux Paris style of the time and Stradivari models, and had a notable influence on the next century of violin making in Paris’ school of Lupot and Pique.