A superior French violin by Georges Cherpitel, bearing the original label: “Georges Cherpitel / Paris – Mirecourt (Vosges) / annee 1935 , No. 7516”, the date and number plus the signature of the maker signed on the label in brown ink. One-piece back is of maple of medium flame, the top of spruce of narrow and straight grain. The varnish is of orange / amber color on a golden base. Back length is 356 mm. Weight, without chin-rest, is 422 grams. The instrument has come to us in pristine original condition, without damage of any kind. Colin Nicholls certification.
Apprenticed and employed by his father, ex Gand luthier Nicolas Emile, Georges Cherpitel left the family workshop three years after his father’s demise. In 1896 he joined the Couesnon firm where he was in charge of their Paris workshop. Both the Henley Atlas and the Vannes Dictionnaire give him and his father glowing reports.
From Henley: "Born 1870. Son of N.E. Worked for Cuesnon at Paris, 1896. Died 1943. Not many instruments labelled with his name. Workmanship very refined."
From "Dictionnaire Universel des Luthiers":
"CHERPITEL Georges. Fils de Louis. Né à Mirecourt, le 14-8-1870. Après avoir fait son apprentissage dans sa ville natale, il alla à Paris vers 1896 travailler chez Cuesnon où il prit dans la suite la direction des ateliers. Il mourut à Paris, le 31-9-1943. Sa production personelle est peu abondante, ce qui est regrettable, car son travail d'un beau fini est très estimé."
*** In January of 2018, our small workshop in Wichita celebrated sixty-five years in business. We are not in the 1952 Wichita telephone directory, but we ARE in the 1953.
 We employ sixteen highly skilled full-time workers and enjoy, we’re happy to report, a sterling reputation for top-quality restoration and ethical transactions. We are not amateurs, nor are we a “back bedroom” operation. We would be pleased to furnish you with references attesting to the above.
COME VISIT US! Shopping for a good professional-quality violin? We always have a selection of better instruments from the best European workshops. We're particularly fond of "old French" from the early 20th. century. Strong voices, brilliant tonal qualities perfectly suited to orchestral and solo playing.
EDR