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Birth : 1798 in Mirecourt (Vosges) Death : 1870 in Bougival (Yvelines)

Summary

Known as BERNARDEL père.

Biography

Career
Auguste Sébastien Philippe BERNARDEL was born in MIRECOURT in 1802 where he apprenticed in violin making before joining the workshop of Nicolas LUPOT, in Paris circa 1820.
At LUPOT'S death in 1824, he then worked for Charles François GAND, Known as GAND Père, before establishing his own workshop in 1826.

Workshop
In 1826 Auguste Sebastien Philippe BERNARDEL established his own workshop rue de la Coquillère in Paris
He then moved to 23 Croix des Petits Champs, and later to the adjoining address, 21 Croix des Petits Champs.

Collaboration with French province : 
Beside his production signed in Paris, there are examples of AS Bernardel's  works, signed by himself, but made for Province dealers or conservatory. 

For example a violin dated 1825, made for Bonifas in Montpellier is noted in Rene Vannes. We have been able to see some other examples of this collaboration, bearing the same manuscript label reading : Bernardel élève de Gand / chez Bonifas à Montpellier / 1825.  

A more curious case is that of an exceptionally fine example made in 1850, long after BERNARDEL settled his Paris workshop, which the label reads “Luthier du conservatoire d’Avignon”, and implies that ASB had a working relationship with this Conservatory. Very little is documented about this collaboration..

Collaborators
MIREMONT Claude-Auguste (until 1852)
LECAVELLÉ Victor c.1853-1855

Successors
BERNARDEL's two sons Gustave Adolphe and Ernest Auguste became partners in the family business in 1859.
In 1866, when Auguste Sébastien BERNARDEL retired, Charles Eugène GAND joined the two brothers, thus creating the firm GAND & BERNARDEL frères.
Upon the death of Charles Eugène GAND, in 1892, Gustave Adolphe BERNARDEL took over the direction of the firm before selling it in 1901 to Albert CARESSA and Henry FRANCAIS.

Sources
Dictionnaire Universel des Luthiers. René Vannes.
(More specfic publication references are available in our Bibliography section.)

 

 

 

 

 

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