Charles Jean Baptiste Collin-Mezin
Encyclopedia
Charles Jean Baptiste Collin-Mezin (1841–1923) was a distinguished French
maker of violins, violas, cellos, basses
and bows. He was an Officier de l'Académie des Beaux-Arts and won gold and silver medals at the Paris Exhibitions in 1878, 1889, and 1900.
He was the son of luthier
C. L. Collin, and father of Charles Collin-Mezin, Jr.
, also a luthier.
The Henley Dictionary of Violin Makers gives him a long and glowing report.
, Collin-Mezin apprenticed with his father. Some sources say he worked for a period in the Brussels workshop of Nicolas-François Vuillaume
. In 1868 he moved to Paris
where he established himself as one of the premier French luthiers of his day. His instruments were considered superior over other new violins.
Collin-Mezin was friends with influential people who helped popularize his instruments. He was also connected to musical luminaries of his day, whose opinions he sought out.
A number of famous violinists played on his instruments, and praised their quality and playability, including Joseph Joachim
, Sivori
, Léonard, Marie Tayau, and Jules Armingaud, who considered a Collin-Mezin equal to a Stradivarius
for flexibility of sound. The famous cellists Franchomme and Jacquard played on Collin-Mezins.
, although he developed his own unique varnish
.
His instruments are also characterized by a powerful and unusually brilliant tone, but also possess a harshness. Musical historian William Henley, in his Universal Dictionary of Violin and Bow Makers (1959), suggests that this harshness could be eliminated with "many years of strenuous playing," which would then certainly enable the instrument to be played by an active soloist.
Henley records “Benjamin Godard
's Concerto Romantique was first performed at a Pasedeloup Concert, Paris, 1876, by Marie Tayau on a Collin-Mezin violin with (what was then an innovation) E and A steel strings suggested by the maker, which rather points to the fact that he is attempting to get brilliance and clearness at the expense of purity." Steel strings are more popular today, though they tend to be used more by students. (More advanced players and professionals prefer synthetic or gut core strings wound with metal, and an all-metal E string.)
From 1876 onwards
His later violins
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
maker of violins, violas, cellos, basses
Double bass
The double bass, also called the string bass, upright bass, standup bass or contrabass, is the largest and lowest-pitched bowed string instrument in the modern symphony orchestra, with strings usually tuned to E1, A1, D2 and G2...
and bows. He was an Officier de l'Académie des Beaux-Arts and won gold and silver medals at the Paris Exhibitions in 1878, 1889, and 1900.
He was the son of luthier
Luthier
A luthier is someone who makes or repairs lutes and other string instruments. In the United States, the term is used interchangeably with a term for the specialty of each maker, such as violinmaker, guitar maker, lute maker, etc...
C. L. Collin, and father of Charles Collin-Mezin, Jr.
Charles Collin-Mezin, Jr.
Charles Collin-Mezin, Jr. was a French violin maker, and an Officier de l'Académie des Beaux-Arts.He collaborated with his father Charles Jean Baptiste Collin-Mezin, a famous Parisian luthier....
, also a luthier.
The Henley Dictionary of Violin Makers gives him a long and glowing report.
Collin-Mezin’s career
Born in MirecourtMirecourt
Mirecourt is a commune in the Vosges department in Lorraine in northeastern France. Mirecourt is known for lace-making and the manufacture of musical instruments, particularly those of the violin family...
, Collin-Mezin apprenticed with his father. Some sources say he worked for a period in the Brussels workshop of Nicolas-François Vuillaume
Nicolas François Vuillaume
Nicholas François Vuillaume was an important French Luthier of the Vuillaume family, and younger brother of the illustrious Jean-Baptiste Vuillaume...
. In 1868 he moved to Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
where he established himself as one of the premier French luthiers of his day. His instruments were considered superior over other new violins.
Collin-Mezin was friends with influential people who helped popularize his instruments. He was also connected to musical luminaries of his day, whose opinions he sought out.
A number of famous violinists played on his instruments, and praised their quality and playability, including Joseph Joachim
Joseph Joachim
Joseph Joachim was a Hungarian violinist, conductor, composer and teacher. A close collaborator of Johannes Brahms, he is widely regarded as one of the most significant violinists of the 19th century.-Origins:...
, Sivori
Sivori
Sívori is a surname of Italian origin, common in Argentina and may refer to:*Camillo Sivori, Italian virtuoso violinist and composer*Eduardo Sívori, Argentine artist widely regarded as his country's first realist painter...
, Léonard, Marie Tayau, and Jules Armingaud, who considered a Collin-Mezin equal to a Stradivarius
Stradivarius
The name Stradivarius is associated with violins built by members of the Stradivari family, particularly Antonio Stradivari. According to their reputation, the quality of their sound has defied attempts to explain or reproduce, though this belief is controversial...
for flexibility of sound. The famous cellists Franchomme and Jacquard played on Collin-Mezins.
Characteristics of his instruments and craftsmanship
Like the best French luthiers, his designs followed in the tradition of the famous Italian schools Stradivarius, Guarnerius, and AmatiAmati
Amati is the name of a family of Italian violin makers, who flourished at Cremona from about 1549 to 1740.-Andrea Amati:Andrea Amati was not the earliest maker of violins whose instruments still survive today...
, although he developed his own unique varnish
Varnish
Varnish is a transparent, hard, protective finish or film primarily used in wood finishing but also for other materials. Varnish is traditionally a combination of a drying oil, a resin, and a thinner or solvent. Varnish finishes are usually glossy but may be designed to produce satin or semi-gloss...
.
- varnish tends to be thick and dull, ranging in colour from yellow to brownish yellow
- they typically have a black outline along the edges of the body and scroll
- no artificial process of heating or chemically treating the wood
- constructed of old wood that was dried naturally
- the bass barring (as well as other aspects) adjusted according to the age and type of wood he used
- his best work is approximately from 1875–1910
His instruments are also characterized by a powerful and unusually brilliant tone, but also possess a harshness. Musical historian William Henley, in his Universal Dictionary of Violin and Bow Makers (1959), suggests that this harshness could be eliminated with "many years of strenuous playing," which would then certainly enable the instrument to be played by an active soloist.
Henley records “Benjamin Godard
Benjamin Godard
Benjamin Louis Paul Godard was a French violinist and Romantic composer.-Biography:Born in Paris, Godard was a student of Henri Vieuxtemps. He entered the Conservatoire de Paris in 1863 where he studied under Vieuxtemps and Napoléon Henri Reber and accompanied Vieuxtemps twice to Germany...
's Concerto Romantique was first performed at a Pasedeloup Concert, Paris, 1876, by Marie Tayau on a Collin-Mezin violin with (what was then an innovation) E and A steel strings suggested by the maker, which rather points to the fact that he is attempting to get brilliance and clearness at the expense of purity." Steel strings are more popular today, though they tend to be used more by students. (More advanced players and professionals prefer synthetic or gut core strings wound with metal, and an all-metal E string.)
How to recognize an authentic Collin-Mezin
- Remember, all authentic Collin-Mezins have a hand written signature in addition to a label (according to Henley). All other violins without his hand written signature are either workshop violins or forgeries.
- Violins with later dates have a Grand Prix label in addition to the hand written signature.
- On the side of his original sound posts there is a stamp of "Collin-Mézin," a copyright facsimile of his signature.
- His labels are not to be confused with the violins of his son and collaborator Charles Collin-Mezin, Jr., whose instruments are also of high quality but priced more moderately. The labels of Collin-Mezin, Jr's instruments still contain labels with his father’s name, and indicate that they are “par Ch J. B. Collin-Mézin.” These mention "Paris" (even though many were made in Mirecourt after 1924), and also mention "Grand Prix Exposition."
His labels
From 1868–1876- Longeur: 9 cent. Lauteur: 2 cent
- Ch J. B. Collin-Mézin fils
- Luthier. Paris l'an 1870
From 1876 onwards
- Longeur: 9 cent. Hauteur 3½
- Ch. J. B. Collin-Mézin
- Luthier á Paris
- Rue du Faubg: Poissonnière No. 29
- Ch. J. B. Collin-Mézin
- Luthier á Paris
- Rue du Faubg: Poissonnière No. 10
His later violins
- Ch. J. B. Collin-Mézin
- Luthier C. M
- Grand Prix-Exposition Universelle, 1900
- Paris, 1921