Among the most sought-after old violins are those from French craftsmen. Some of the more famous French luthiers are J.B. Vuillaume, Nicolas Lupet and Charles Francois Gand. Let's have a look at the lives of these three luthiers and the methods they used in their work.

In Mirecourt in 1798, J.B Vuillame was born. He was associated with Pique and often worked with Francoise Chanot. It had come to his attention that new violins were not as favorable as old violins. In order to profit off of this public preference, Vuillame made many copies of Stradivarius violins. He not only replicated the varnish, but even details such as the label. Often, Vuillame would travel around Italy looking for old wood and furniture with which he could build more authentic looking violins. Some people today think that their violin is a famous "Messiah Strad", but it may well be that it is only one of Vuillame's copies. One can determine if a violin is a Vuillame if it has more French characteristics than Italian. One of the most intriguing and controversial enigmas to this day is the mysterious violin's real identity.

Known as the "French Stradivarius," Nicolas Lupot was born in 1758, and established a workshop in Paris 40 years later in 1798. In 1815, just short of 60 years of age, he was appointed violin maker to the King; the following year, he was appointed to the Conservatoire de Paris. He died at the age of 66, in 1824. Lupot's instruments are widely considered to imitate those of Stradivarius more closely than anyone else.

In 1802, Charles Francoise Gand was apprenticed to Nicolas Lupot in Paris. His French violins are known for their brilliant and textured varnish. Lupot's use of beautifully flamed wood in the backs of his instruments also contributed to their popularity. Besides making wonderful violins for the violinists of his day, Lupot himself was considered quite a good violinist in his own right as well.