Francois-Louis Pique

b 1758, at Rorei, near Mirecourt ; d. 1822, Charenton-St.-Maurice. Was a pupil of Saunier. He went to Paris in 1777 or 1778 living first in " rue Coquilliere au coin de la rue de Bouloy according to a label in a theorbo dated 1779, then, 1787-9 in the " rue Platriere vis-a-vis de l’Hotel de Bullion," according to a label in a sixteen-stringed mandore dated 1787; and finally at 36, rue de Grenelle-St -Honore, where he remained till he retired from business in 1816. He made some beautiful copies of Stradivari, the workmanship being of a very high order the scrolls and sound holes are well cut and the wood is of excellent quality. Some instruments have the backs cut in one piece, and the proportions of the thicknesses are sometimes exaggerated ; he used a dark red oil varnish, rather opaque. In 1792 he applied to Nicolas Lupot, then still at Mirecourt for a certain number of unvarnishcd violins which he then varnished himself and sold with his label. His instruments vary from a moderate price to as much as £50. His violins are mentioned by Spohr (Methode de Violon) as being some of the best of the period.