Francois Caussin
Neufchateau, Neufchâteau, Rouvres Chét., Rouvres-la-Chetive, 1794–1866
A French luthier, Francois Caussin (1794-1866) was a pupil of Gaillard in Mirecourt, known for his finely crafted copies of Italian instruments, particularly those inspired by Amati. He established workshops in Rouvres-la-Chétive and Neufchâteau, and his instruments, featuring good quality, antiqued varnish, were often mistaken for genuine Cremonese works due to his exceptional skill in imitation.
Instruments
Auction Price History
Highest auction price
81 results
| Type | Details | Auction house | Sold | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violin | Lot 197 | Bonhams | August 2026 | £3,500 |
| Violin | Lot 162 | Brompton's | August 2026 | £359 |
| Violin | Lot 174 | Brompton's | August 2026 | £400 |
| Violin | Branded F CAUSSIN to the back and the upper block Lot 2 | Delon | April 2025 | £857est. € 500-600 |
| Violin | Bearing the maker's brand and signature Lot 2060 | Vichy | November 2023 | £725est. € 800 |
| Violin | Labelled Stradivari Lot 253 | Vichy | November 2023 | £5,190est. € 4.500-5.000 |
| Violin | Labelled Grancino Lot 256 | Vichy | November 2023 | £2,825est. € 2.000-3.000 |
| Cello | Unlabelled Lot 19 | Tarisio | October 2023 | £31,375est. € 20.000-30.000 |
| Violin | Bearing the maker's label Lot 10 | Vichy | December 2022 | £9,105est. € 5.000-6.000 |
| Violin | Labelled Gagliano, broken heel Lot 157 | Vichy | December 2022 | £6,015est. € 4.000-5.000 |
| Violin | Bearing the maker's label Lot 13 | Vichy | December 2022 | £4,713est. € 4.000-5.000 |
| Violin | Labelled Amati Lot 263 | Vichy | December 2022 | £4,713est. € 4.000-5.000 |
| Cello | broken neck Lot 255 | Vichy | December 2022 | £40,703est. € 15.000-20.000 |
| Violin | Labelled Domenico Montagnana Venezia 1712 Lot 193 | Arteal | July 2022 | £11,578est. CHF 12,000-15,000 |
| Viola | Bearing the maker's signatures and brand Lot 172 | Vichy | June 2022 | £3,479est. € 3.000-4.000 |
| Violin | Labelled Ruggeri Lot 166 | Vichy | June 2022 | £11,094est. € 4.000-6.000 |
| Violin | Labelled Lupot Lot 203 | Vichy | June 2022 | £6,197est. € 5.000-7.000 |
| Violin | Labelled Amati Lot 10 | Vichy | June 2022 | £5,002est. € 4.000-5.000 |
| Violin | Violin, 1860 c. Lot 361 | Vichy | June 2022 | £3,681est. € 2.500-3.000 |
| Violin | Labelled Andreas Guarnerius ..., two-piece back of regular curl, varnish of a golden brown colour Lot 36 | Apollium | April 2022 | £3,511est. € 4.000-5.000 |
| Violin | Labelled Dalla Costa Lot 317 | Vichy | December 2021 | £5,805est. € 4.000-5.000 |
| Violin | Labelled Guarneri Lot 62 | Vichy | December 2021 | £4,011est. € 2.500-3.000 |
| Violin | Labelled Guadagnini, French head of 18th C. Lot 162 | Vichy | December 2021 | £3,377est. € 3.000-4.000 |
| Violin | Labelled Guarneri Lot 216 | Vichy | June 2021 | £8,444est. € 4.000-5.000 |
| Violin | Labelled Bergonzi Lot 19 | Vichy | June 2021 | £6,093est. € 2.500-3.000 |
| Violin | Labelled Gagliano Lot 208 | Vichy | June 2021 | £5,451est. € 4.000-5.000 |
| Violin | Labelled Guarneri Lot 305 | Vichy | December 2020 | £11,200est. € 4.000-6.000 |
| Violin | Labelled Gagliano Lot 203 | Vichy | December 2020 | £7,840est. € 4.000-5.000 |
| Violin | Labelled Giuseppe Carlo Fratelli Lot 905 | Vichy | December 2020 | £3,447est. € 2.500-3.000 |
| Violin | Labelled Serafino Lot 22 | Vichy | December 2020 | £3,024est. € 3.000-4.000 |
| Violin | Labelled Amati Lot 18 | Vichy | December 2020 | £2,800est. € 2.500-3.000 |
| Violin | Labelled Bergonzi Lot 823 | Vichy | December 2020 | £2,335est. € 2.000-3.000 |
| Violin | After Guarneri, labelled Fait par F. Caussin à Rouvres la Chétive par Neufchâteau 1865 Lot 2 | Ingles & Hayday | March 2020 | £13,200est. £ 6,000-8,000 |
| Violin | Labelled Grancino Lot 15 | Vichy | November 2019 | £6,462est. € 4.000-4.500 |
| Violin | Labelled Bergonzi Lot 153 | Vichy | November 2019 | £5,129est. € 5.000-6.000 |
| Violin | Violin, 1860 c. Lot 162 | Vichy | November 2019 | £5,949est. € 5.000-6.000 |
| Cello | Labelled N.F. Vuillaume Lot 375 | Vichy | November 2019 | £28,720est. € 22.000-25.000 |
| Violin | Labelled Nicolaus Amatus Cremonen Hieronymi filius Antonii nepos, fecit 16... Lot 113 | Ingles & Hayday | October 2019 | £15,600est. £ 10,000-15,000 |
| Violin | Labelled Serafino Lot 68 | Vichy | June 2019 | £5,420est. € 4.000-5.000 |
| Cello | Cello, 1860 c. Lot 115 | Vichy | June 2019 | £26,571est. € 15.000-20.000 |
| Violin | Violin, 1850-60 c. Lot 208 | Vichy | June 2019 | £4,783est. € 5.000-6.000 |
| Violin | Labelled Cappa Lot 267 | Vichy | June 2019 | £2,976est. € 3.000-4.000 |
| Violin | Labelled Cappa Lot 365 | Vichy | June 2019 | £5,739est. € 4.000-5.000 |
| Violin | Violin, 1860 c. Lot 368 | Vichy | June 2019 | £6,908est. € 4.000-5.000 |
| Violin | Labelled Bergonzi Lot 10 | Vichy | December 2018 | £9,621est. € 5.000-7.000 |
| Violin | Labelled Stainer Lot 68 | Vichy | December 2018 | £3,741est. € 4.000-5.000 |
| Violin | Violin, 1860 c. Lot 153 | Vichy | December 2018 | £5,559est. € 5.000-6.000 |
| Violin | Labelled Thibout Lot 166 | Vichy | December 2018 | £5,772est. € 5.000-6.000 |
| Violin | Labelled Guadagnini Lot 211 | Vichy | December 2018 | £4,276est. € 4.000-5.000 |
| Violin | Labelled Joannes Baptista Guadaguin, Cremonensis fecit Tarini C. L. G. Lot 174 | Tarisio | October 2018 | £4,800est. £ 4,000-6,000 |
| Violin | Labelled Ludovicus Bergonzi in, Cremona anno 17... Lot 132 | Tarisio | June 2018 | £5,100est. £ 4,000-6,000 |
| Violin | Labelled Ricozali Lot 58 | Vichy | June 2018 | £2,944est. € 3.000-4.000 |
| Violin | Labelled Guadagnini Lot 213 | Vichy | June 2018 | £7,887est. € 5.000-7.000 |
| Cello | Labelled Borelli Lot 372 | Vichy | June 2018 | £16,825est. € 8.000-10.000 |
| Violin | Labelled Jaco... in Absam prope, ... anno 1745 Lot 131 | Tarisio | March 2018 | £4,720est. £ 4,000-6,000 |
| Violin | Labelled Guadagnini Lot 13 | Vichy | November 2017 | £4,752est. € 4.000-5.000 |
| Violin | Violin, 1860 c. Lot 58 | Vichy | November 2017 | £5,808est. € 5.000-5.500 |
| Violin | Violin, 1850-60 c. Lot 206 | Vichy | November 2017 | £8,976est. € 4.000-5.000 |
| Violin | Labelled Ludovicus Bergonzi fecit Cremonens Anno 1747 Lot 97 | Ingles & Hayday | October 2017 | £6,000est. £ 5,000-7,000 |
| Cello | Two-piece back of very faint medium curl, varnish of a rich plum colour on a golden ground Lot 1517 | Gardiner Houlgate | September 2017 | £5,280est. £ 2,000-3,000 |
| Violin | Labelled Vuillaume Lot 254 | Vichy | June 2017 | £3,445est. € 3.000-4.000 |
| Violin | Labelled Guadagnini Lot 272 | Vichy | June 2017 | £5,429est. € 3.000-3.500 |
| Violin | Labelled J. B. Ricotti, fecit Cremona 17... Lot 151 | Tarisio | June 2017 | £6,000est. £ 5,000-8,000 |
| Violin | Unlabelled Lot 156 | Tarisio | March 2017 | £8,260est. £ 5,000-8,000 |
| Violin | Labelled Nicolaus Amatus Cremonen Hieronymi filius Antonii nepos, fecit 16... Lot 4 | Ingles & Hayday | March 2017 | £14,400est. £ 4,000-6,000 |
| Violin | Unlabelled Lot 134 | Tarisio | October 2016 | £2,950est. £ 3,000-5,000 |
| Violin | Labelled Stradivari Lot 18 | Vichy | June 2016 | £2,766est. € 4.000-5.000 |
| Violin | Labelled Amati Lot 59 | Vichy | June 2016 | £3,960est. € 4.000-4.500 |
| Violin | Violin, 1860 c. Lot 52 | Brompton’s | June 2016 | £5,400est. £ 4,000-6,000 |
| Violin | Labelled Nicolaus Gagliano filius, Alexandri fecit Neap. 17... Lot 113 | Tarisio | May 2016 | £6,231est. $ 3,000-5,000 |
| Violin | Labelled Amati Lot 370 | Vichy | December 2015 | £4,089est. € 3.000-4.000 |
| Violin | Labelled Guersan Lot 12 | Vichy | June 2015 | £2,452est. € 3.000-4.000 |
| Violin | Unlabelled Lot 2 | Ingles & Hayday | March 2015 | £6,000est. £ 3,000-5,000 |
| Violin | Labelled Testore Lot 259 | Vichy | June 2014 | £6,483est. € 4.000-5.000 |
| Violin | Labelled Vuillaume Lot 274 | Vichy | December 2013 | £8,959est. € 4.000-5.000 |
| Violin | Violin, 1860 c. Lot 323 | Vichy | December 2013 | £2,986est. € 3.000-4.000 |
| Violin | Bearing an original label Lot 188 | Brompton’s | March 2013 | £2,460est. £ 2,000-3,000 |
| Violin | Labelled Ruggeri Lot 311 | Vichy | June 2012 | £1,747est. € 1.000-1.500 |
| Viola | Labelled Amati Lot 409 | Vichy | June 2012 | £12,616est. € 6.000-7.000 |
| Violin | Labelled Stradivari Lot 410 | Vichy | June 2012 | £3,882est. € 4.000-5.000 |
| Violin | Labelled Grancino Lot 421 | Vichy | June 2012 | £6,793est. € 4.000-5.000 |
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Maker Overview
Life
Francois Caussin (1794-1866) was born in 1794 in Rouvres-la-Chétive and died in 1866 in Neufchâteau, Vosges, France. in The Brompton’s Book of Violin & Bow Makers, he was a pupil of Gaillard in Mirecourt. He established an atelier in his hometown of Rouvres-la-Chétive in 1815, later moving to Neufchâteau after 1830. Willibald Leo Lütgendorff notes in Die Geigen- und Lautenmacher vom Mittelalter bis zur Gegenwart that Caussin came annually to Paris with his violins, which were easily sold to dealers due to their good tone. Lütgendorff also mentions the possibility of a Nicolas Caussin.
Characteristics
- Workmanship
- He produced finely worked copies, frequently inspired by Amati.
- Varnish
- Dilworth describes his varnish as good quality, usually applied in a shaded 'antiqued' manner, thin, and not highly reflective. Willibald Leo Lütgendorff adds that he was particularly skillful at imitating old varnish with all its accidental flaws.
- Models
- Lütgendorff states that he mostly built after a small model.
- Experimental Forms
- Dilworth also notes that he worked on some bizarre experimental forms.
- Reputation
- Lütgendorff remarks that many who believe they possess a genuine Cremonese instrument actually have a 'Caussin', highlighting his exceptional skill in imitation.
- Sound Quality
- His instruments were known to have good tone.
- Branding
- Instruments were branded 'Caussin' or 'Caussin Luthier Neufchâteau (Vosges)'.
Influence and legacy
- Training: He was a pupil of Gaillard in Mirecourt.
Biographies
The overview above is drawn from the following published accounts. Read them in the original:
John Dilworth+
CAUSSIN, François Born 1794 Rouvres-la-Chétive, died 1866 Neufchâteau,Vosges France. Pupil of Gaillard in Mirecourt. Established an atelier in his home town in 1815, moving to Neufchâteau after 1830. Finely worked copies, frequently of Amati inspiration. Good quality varnish, usually applied in shaded ‘antiqued’ manner, but thin and not highly reflective. Also worked on some bizarre experimental forms. Branded: ‘Caussin’ Caussin Luthier Neufchâteau (Vosges)
Willibald Leo Lütgendorff+
Ein geschickter Nachahmer der Italiener, der seine Geigen sehr hübsch ausführte
und besonders geschickt war, den alten Lack mit all seinen zufälligen
Mängeln zu imitiren. Er baute meist nach einem kleinen Modell. Er kam alljährlich
mit seinen Geigen nach Paris, und da sie auch gut im Ton waren,
brachte er sie leicht an Händler an. Gar Mancher, der sich im Besitze einer
echten Cremoneser wähnt, hat nur eine »Caussin«. Es soll auch einen Nicolas
Caussin gegeben haben.
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