François Nicolas Voirin
1833 – 1885
François Nicolas Voirin was born in Mirecourt in 1833. He trained as a bowmaker in Mirecourt with Jean Simon his brother, Joseph Voirin. In 1855, he moved to Paris to work with J.B. Vuillaume. Voirin became instrumental in Vuillaume”s workshop, especially in the production of bows. He used the Vuillaume-style frog, though as his career progressed, he began to adjust the model so that it was slimmer and lighter. Voirin often trained bow-makers in J.B.’s shop as J.B. was not a bowmaker himself. One of his trainees was Hermann Pfretzschnerr, who was heavily inspired by Voirin’s design and produced many copies of his work. He also trained Charles Peccatte and Charles Nicolas Bazin.
Voirin opened his own shop on 1870, and hired Louis Thomassin and Joseph Lamy. He died suddenly of a stroke in 1885, but his style and influence has endured for centuries.
Branded “F.N. Voirin A Paris”. The round stick of red-brown pernambuco, the ivory tip plate, the silver wire winding, the silver mounted ebony frog with mother-of-pearl eyes, the ebony button…
Branded “F.N. Voirin A Paris”. The round stick of reddish-brown pernambuco, the ivory tip plate, the faux whalebone wrap, the silver mounted ebony frog with mother-of-pearl eyes, the ebony button…
Includes a certificate by Bernard Millant.