Carl Joseph Hellmer

History

Carl Joseph Hellmer (1739-1811) was born in 1739 in Smichov, near Prague, Czech Republic, and died in Prague in 1811, though Cecie Stainer states his death year as 1812. He was the son of Johann Georg Hellmer. According to Willibald Leo Lütgendorff, after completing his apprenticeship, he worked for a long time in Germany before returning to Prague in 1763. On September 5, 1763, he married Katharina Piestl (born 1742, died 1814), with whom he had seven sons and seven daughters. On May 31, he obtained citizenship in Prague's Malá Strana (Kleinseite). He lived in his father's house until 1803 and subsequently at Nosticova ul. (Nostitzgasse) No. 466. From 1808 to 1810, he served as a co-director of the violin makers' guild.

Craft

• Instruments: Hellmer was a player of, and composer for, the lute and mandolin, and was active as a violin maker from 1763.
• Models: He produced excellent work on Stainer and Stradivari models.
• Varnish: His instruments featured good yellow-brown or dark opaque red spirit varnish, with Cecie Stainer noting a red-brown varnish.
• Labels: Examples of his labels include "Carolus Hellmer / in Prag.18..", "Carolus Hellmer / me fecit Pragae. 1769", and "Carolus Josephus Hellmer / me fecit Pragae. 1805". The earliest date found in his instruments is said to be 1764, according to John Dilworth.

Influence

• Mentorship: He was a pupil and assistant of Ulrich Eberle, as noted by John Dilworth, Willibald Leo Lütgendorff, George Hart, and Cecie Stainer.
• Family Tradition: He was the successor to his father, Johann Georg Hellmer.
• School: He is regarded as one of the best makers of the Prague school.

Legacy

• Reputation: Carl Joseph Hellmer is regarded as one of the best makers of the Prague school.
• Leadership: He served as a co-director of the violin makers' guild from 1808 to 1810.

Further Information

• Residences: He lived in his father's house until 1803 and subsequently at Nosticova ul. (Nostitzgasse) No. 466.
• Family: He married Katharina Piestl and had seven sons and seven daughters.

Summary

Carl Joseph Hellmer (1739-1811) was a prominent Czech violin maker, born in Smichov near Prague. He was the son of Johann Georg Hellmer and a pupil and assistant of Ulrich Eberle. Hellmer worked in Germany before returning to Prague in 1763, where he married Katharina Piestl and obtained citizenship. He was active as a violin maker from 1763, producing excellent instruments on Stainer and Stradivari models with distinctive varnishes. Regarded as one of the best makers of the Prague school, he also served as a co-director of the violin makers' guild from 1808 to 1810.