Nicholas Darche

History

Nicholas Darche (1815-1873) was born in 1815 and died in 1873 in Mirecourt, France. He was the brother of Joseph and Charles François Darche. Trained in Mirecourt, he was employed by N. F. Vuillaume in Brussels before establishing himself in Aix-la-Chapelle (Aachen) around 1840 or 1841. P. J. Hel was a pupil of his from 1864 to 1865. While his early work showed great promise, his output declined in later years, particularly after 1860, becoming more commercial. In the last years of his life, he ceased working entirely.

Craft

• Early Work: Consisted of conscientious copies of classical models, including those by Stradivari, Guarneri, and Maggini, often featuring a finely textured varnish and thick, red oil varnish, which contributed to a remarkable sound beauty.
• Later Work: Around 1860, his output declined to a hurried commercial style, often involving the varnishing of ready-made Mirecourt instruments with a thin spirit concoction, making them comparable to average Mirecourt goods.
• Exhibitions: Exhibited at Frankfurt in 1842.
• Labels: An example label reads "N. Darche luthier / à Aix la Chapelle / 1846. Copie de / Jiovani Paolo Magini / Brescia 1715."
• Pricing: In 1844, a violin was priced at 35 Thaler, and a violoncello at 70 Thaler.

Influence

• Training: Received training in Mirecourt.
• Employment: Was employed by N. F. Vuillaume in Brussels.
• Pupils: P. J. Hel was a pupil of his from 1864 to 1865.

Further Information

• Workshop Locations: Established his workshop in Aix-la-Chapelle (Aachen) from around 1840 or 1841.
• Models Copied: Frequently copied models by Stradivari, Guarneri, and Maggini.

Summary

Nicholas Darche (1815-1873) was a luthier from Mirecourt, France, who established his workshop in Aix-la-Chapelle. Known for his early conscientious copies of classical models with fine varnish, his work later declined into commercial output. He trained in Mirecourt and was employed by N. F. Vuillaume in Brussels, also taking on P. J. Hel as a pupil.