Gustave Bernardel
1832 – 1904
Gustave Bernardel was born in Paris in 1832 to a family of makers. He learned the violin making craft from his father, Auguste Sebastian, and brother, Ernest Auguste. In 1886, He and Ernest formed a partnership with Charles Eugène Gand and started the firm Gand & Bernardel. In 1892, Bernardel became the sole owner of Gand & Bernardel. In 1901, he retired and sold the firm to Caressa & Français.
Bernardel’s work shows his extraordinary expertise and careful workmanship. He was constantly experimenting to improve his technique, and at the beginning of the 20th century he invented his own recipe for rosin. He also became a maker for the opera orchestras and Ministry of Fine Arts.