Francois Chanot

Son of a musical instrument maker in Mirecourt, b. 1787. Mirecourt; d. 1828, Rochefort. After being in the Ecole polytechnique, he entered the French navy as engineer; being retired on half-pay owing to some satirically-written political verses, he went back to Mirecourt, and in the workshops of his father came to the conclusion that violins might be constructed on more scientific principles. He made one, only slightly arched, with the sound-holes nearly straight, and the sides less curved in, more like the sides of a guitar, the idea being to keep the wood-fibres as long as possible, as being better for vibration. A violin of this pattern was submitted to the Academie des Beaux-Arts and the Academic des Sciences in 1817 ; after three trials it was favourably judged, the tone being of superior quality. He was awarded a silver medal in 1819. Unfortunately, violins on this model are now of poor quality ; the tone, though excellent when they are first made, does not last. In 1824, he was recalled to active service and was shortly afterwards promoted to the higher grade of an engineer of the first class. The letters C.I.D. on his label are the initials of his title, " Capitaine, Ingenieur, Deuxieme classe." A violin which he made in 1818 for Viotti and a violoncello are in the Paris Conservatoire collection.