Paul (I) Pilat

History

Paul (I) Pilat (1860-1931) was born in 1860 in Benešov, Czech Republic, and died in 1931 in Budapest, Hungary.

According to John Dilworth, he was a pupil of T. Zach in Vienna from 1872 to 1877.

He worked for B. Enzensberger and later for G. Lemböck until 1880, briefly returning to Zach, then moving to Budapest.

In Budapest, he worked for J. W. Schunda and then E. Bartek, whom he succeeded in 1883.

He was appointed maker to the Hungarian royal court and was awarded medals in Budapest and Paris in 1885, 1889, and 1900.

His workshop was continued by his widow for some time before being taken over by P. Sáránszky.

Craft

• Workmanship: According to John Dilworth, he produced fine and very accurate work on the Stradivari model.
• Varnish: He used a good orange-red varnish and, according to Willibald Leo Lütgendorff, applied a self-produced amber varnish.
• Materials: John Dilworth notes his use of excellent materials.
• Bows: Willibald Leo Lütgendorff states that his bows are sought after.
• Innovation: He sold his own varnish commercially and developed a patent bass-bar, which Willibald Leo Lütgendorff describes as a 'reconstructed' bass-bar for which he held a patent.
• Branding: Internally, instruments were branded 'Pilát P. Budapest'.
• External Brands: Various brands used externally on the upper back included 'Pilát Pál', 'Paulus Pilatus', and 'Pilát P. Budapest'.
• Labels: Printed labels included 'Paulus Pilát / P.P. fecit Budapestini anno 18..', 'P.P. / No.. Medic. Univ. / Dri Stephan Bolemán de Dezser / fecit Paulus Pilát 1913 / Op.207 Magyarország Arany Koszorús Mestere', and 'Paulus Pilát / fecit Budapestini anno 1926 / Op. 419.'

Influence

• Teachers: He was a pupil of T. Zach in Vienna from 1872 to 1877, according to John Dilworth, and also a student of Thomas Zach in Vienna, as noted by Willibald Leo Lütgendorff.
• Employers: He worked as an assistant for B. Enzensberger, G. Lemböck, J. W. Schunda, and E. Bartek, and also for Gab. Lemböck and David Bittner in Vienna, and Jos. W. Schunda and Ed. Bartek, according to Willibald Leo Lütgendorff.
• Mentorship: He trained many of the best of the next generation of Hungarian makers, including J. Braun, M. Reményi, L. Köhler, J. Cigl, M. Firsz, E. Paduch, D. Bárány, J. Spiegel, and S. Muntyán.

Legacy

• Awards: He was awarded medals in Budapest and Paris in 1885, 1889, and 1900.
• Workshop Continuity: His workshop was continued by his widow for some time before being taken over by P. Sáránszky.
• Influence on Successors: He trained many significant Hungarian makers, including J. Braun, M. Reményi, L. Köhler, J. Cigl, M. Firsz, E. Paduch, D. Bárány, J. Spiegel, and S. Muntyán.

Further Information

• Patent: He held a patent for a 'reconstructed' bass-bar.
• Commercial Products: He sold his own varnish commercially.
• Branding: Instruments were branded internally 'Pilát P. Budapest' and externally with 'Pilát Pál', 'Paulus Pilatus', and 'Pilát P. Budapest'.
• Labels: Printed labels included 'Paulus Pilát / P.P. fecit Budapestini anno 18..', 'P.P. / No.. Medic. Univ. / Dri Stephan Bolemán de Dezser / fecit Paulus Pilát 1913 / Op.207 Magyarország Arany Koszorús Mestere', and 'Paulus Pilát / fecit Budapestini anno 1926 / Op. 419.'

Summary

Paul (I) Pilat (1860-1931) was a prominent Hungarian violin maker, born in Benešov, Czech Republic, and trained by T. Zach in Vienna.

He worked for several notable makers before succeeding E. Bartek in Budapest in 1883, eventually becoming maker to the Hungarian royal court.

Known for his fine work on the Stradivari model, good orange-red varnish, and excellent materials, he also developed a patent bass-bar and sold his own varnish commercially.

Pilat was highly influential, training many significant Hungarian makers of the next generation.