Jean Francois Pillement
Mirecourt, Paris, b. 1758
Jean Francois Pillement (1758-after 1830), also known as 'Pillement père', was a French luthier from Mirecourt who crafted violins, cellos, and double basses. His work, though sometimes uneven, included cellos often considered superior, and his stylistic evolution moved from the Gavinies school to Amati and then Stradivari models. His instruments were branded with various locations, including Mirecourt, Paris, and Cremona, despite all being made in Mirecourt, and a violin by him is preserved in the royal collection in Berlin.
Auction Price History
Highest auction price
46 results
| Type | Details | Auction house | Sold | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violin | Labelled Pillement, one-piece back Lot 24 | De Baecque | May 2020 | £199est. € 50-100 |
| Violin | One-piece back of broad curl, table of fine grain, revarnished of a golden brown colour Lot 251 | Apollium | November 2018 | £235est. € 300-400 |
| Violin | Violin, 1840 c. Lot 871 | Vichy | November 2017 | £335est. € 200 |
| Small Cello | Branded F. Pillement à Crémone Lot 109 | Vichy | June 2017 | £5,011est. € 3.000-4.000 |
| Violin | Bearing the maker's brand, one-piece back, table of broad grain Lot 107 | Apollium | June 2017 | £1,015est. € 600-800 |
| Violin | Bearing the maker's brand internally Lot 964 | Vichy | June 2015 | £273est. € 300 |
| Violin | Branded internally PILLEMENT A MIRECOURT, not set up Lot 209 | Skinners | April 2015 | £327est. $ 500-700 |
| Violin | Branded I.P. à Paris beneath the nut Lot 866 | Vichy | December 2013 | £498est. € 500 |
| Violin | Bearing the maker's brand to the back Lot 201 | Vichy | December 2013 | £896est. € 1.000-1.500 |
| Double Bass | Bearing the maker's brand Lot 470 | Vichy | December 2013 | £5,176est. € 2.000-3.000 |
| Violin | 37.0 cm Mirecourt, mid19th C. | — | January 2011 | £656 |
| Violin | 36.0 cm Mirecourt, 1800 c. Probably by | — | January 2011 | £1,410 |
| Violin | 36.0 cm Mirecourt, 1810 c. | — | January 2009 | £1,320 |
| Violin | 36.2 cm Paris, 1800 c. | — | January 2009 | £312 |
| Violin | 36.0 cm Mirecourt, 1840 c. | — | January 2009 | £1,037 |
| Viola | 39.3 cm Mirecourt, 1810/1820 c. (some restorations) | — | January 2009 | £1,763 |
| Violin | 36.3 cm Mirecourt, 1840 c. | — | January 2009 | £156 |
| Violin | 36.1 cm Mirecourt, 1840 c. (some restorations) | — | January 2009 | £830 |
| Violin | 35.8 cm Mirecourt, 1800 c. (restored soundpost crack) | — | January 2008 | £1,536 |
| Cello | 72.4 cm Mirecourt, 1840 c. | — | January 2006 | £5,193 |
| Violin | 35.8 cm 1800 c. | — | January 2006 | £300 |
| Violin | 35.9 cm Mirecourt, 1800 c. | — | January 2006 | £809 |
| Violin | Mirecourt, 1840 c. | — | January 2005 | £401 |
| Violin | France, 1810 c. | — | January 2005 | £4,709 |
| Violin | Mirecourt, 1830 c. | — | January 2004 | £550 |
| Violin | 1790 | — | January 2002 | £2,530 |
| Cello | 1800 | — | January 2001 | £7,395 |
| Cello | 1790 c. | — | January 2000 | £3,220 |
| Violin | 1790 | — | January 2000 | £860 |
| Violin | 1830 | — | January 1999 | £260 |
| Violin | 1800 | — | January 1999 | £762 |
| Violin | 1830 | — | January 1998 | £369 |
| Violin | 1815 c. | — | January 1996 | £1,380 |
| Violin | 1790 c. | — | January 1994 | £196 |
| Cello | 1820 c. | — | January 1992 | £2,200 |
| Violin | 1800 c. | — | January 1992 | £605 |
| Violin | 1790 c. 1/2 Size | — | January 1992 | £387 |
| Cello | 1800 c. | — | January 1991 | £2,200 |
| Violin | 1800 c. | — | January 1990 | £352 |
| Violin | 1800 c. | — | January 1990 | £176 |
| Cello | 1800-25 | — | January 1986 | £880 |
| Viola | 38.1 cm 1800-25 | — | January 1986 | £990 |
| Violin | 1800 c. | — | January 1986 | £550 |
| Violin | 1800 c. | — | January 1986 | £388 |
| Violin | 1800 c. | — | January 1981 | £264 |
| Cello | 1800 c. | — | January 1980 | £1,430 |
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Maker Overview
Life
Jean Francois Pillement (1758-after 1830) was born in 1758 in Mirecourt, France, and died after 1830. He was known as 'Pillement père', and while some authorities initially assumed 'Jean François Pillement' was his son, John Dilworth clarifies that 'Jean' and 'Jean François' refer to the same individual, and this seems not to be the case. Willibald Leo Lütgendorff also notes that he was probably from Mirecourt and that a label from 1830 identifies him as F. Pillement père, suggesting a son might have also been a violin maker; this son might be the 'Lété Pillement' in Turin, whose name was found in a guitar.
Characteristics
- Instrument Types
- He produced many fine violins, cellos, and double basses.
- Workmanship
- His workmanship was not of the first order, and his materials were usually plain.
- Varnish
- The varnish he used was good but inconsistent in shade and texture, and, it was quite dark.
- Cello Quality
- Willibald Leo Lütgendorff notes that his cellos, whose backs were usually made from one piece, were generally better than his violins.
- Sound Quality
- Willibald Leo Lütgendorff states that his work was very uneven, with some very mediocre violins alongside others that sounded quite good.
- Branded internally: ‘F. Pillementi
Père. A. Cremona’, ‘Pillemont père
à Mirecourt’ or ‘F. Pillemont père
à Paris’. Pillemont père
à Mirecourt fecit
anno 1799John Dilworth - F. Pillement père
à Paris fecit
anno 1806John Dilworth
Influence and legacy
- Stylistic Evolution:, his early work is attributed to the school of Gavinies style, with subsequent work on Amati and finally Stradivari models.
- Museum Collections: The royal collection in Berlin possesses a violin by Pillement from the Snoeck collection (No. 532).
Further Information
- Branding and Labeling: His instruments were branded and labeled variously as 'Mirecourt', 'Paris', and 'Cremona', though all were made in Mirecourt.
- Internal Branding: Instruments were branded internally with 'F. Pillementi / Père. A. Cremona', 'Pillemont père/ à Mirecourt', or 'F. Pillemont père/ à Paris'.
- Label Examples: Specific labels include 'Pillemont père / à Mirecourt fecit / anno 1799' and 'F. Pillement père / à Paris fecit / anno 1806'.
Biographies
The overview above is drawn from the following published accounts. Read them in the original:
John Dilworth+
PILLEMENT (PILLEMONT), (Jean) François Born 1758, d. after 1830 Mirecourt France. Known as ‘Pillement père’, since some authorities assume that ‘Jean François Pillement’ is his son, but this seems not to be the case. ‘Jean’ and ‘Jean François’ are the same individual. Many fine violins, cellos, and double basses. Branded and labelled variously ‘Mirecourt’, ‘Paris’ and ‘Cremona’, all made nevertheless in Mirecourt. Henley attributes his early work to the school of Gavinies style; subsequent work on Amati and finally Stradivari models. Workmanship not of the first order. Materials usually plain. Varnish good but inconsistent in shade and texture. Branded internally: ‘F. Pillementi / Père. A. Cremona’, ‘Pillemont père/ à Mirecourt’ or ‘F. Pillemont père/ à Paris’. Pillemont père / à Mirecourt fecit / anno 1799 F. Pillement père / à Paris fecit / anno 1806
Willibald Leo Lütgendorff+
Wahrscheinlich ein Mirecourter. Seine Arbeit ist sehr ungleichwerthig:
neben sehr mittelmässigen Violinen findet man manchmal auch solche, die recht
gut klingen. Seine Geigen kommen häufig vor, doch sind seine Violoncelli,
deren Boden meist aus einem Stuck gefertigt sind, in der Regel besser. Sein
Lack ist ziemlich dunkel. Er verwendete eine Brandmarke:
Auf einem Zettel von 1830 bezeichnet er sich als F. Pillement père. Es scheint
also auch sein Sohn Geigenmacher gewesen zu sein; vielleicht ist dies jener
»Lété Pillement« in Turin, dessen Namen man in einer Guitarre las. Die
kgl. Sammlung in Berlin besitzt aus der Sammlung Snoeck eine Geige von
Pillement (No. 532).
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