Marcel Charles Lapierre came from humble beginnings, child of a plasterer and a worker of the Laberte firm.  Marcel became a bowmaker and worked for a veritable “Who’s Who” of Mirecourt makers.  Jerome Thibouville-Lamy, Brouillier & Lotte, Francois Lotte, Louis Bazin, Morizot freres and Emile Auguste Ouchard are all shops he worked for before finally settling down in Mirecourt and opening his own shop.  His bows made pre-1960 are considered his best work and are in high demand.

“L’Archet”-Millant & Raffin

Charles Louis Bazin, son of Charles Nicolas Bazin, was born in 1881 in Mirecourt, France where he lived his entire life making beautiful bows.  In 1907 he officially took over his father’s business while continuing to work with Charles Nicolas until his death in 1915.  A career interrupted by two World Wars, he served in the infantry in WWI.  His son Charles Alfred followed in his footsteps, joining the shop in 1922 and collaborating on many bows for the next decades until Charles Louis died in 1953 leaving a legacy of fine bows that continue to produce beautiful music.

“L’Archet”-Millant & Raffin

Emile Francois Ouchard, better known in the French bow world as Ouchard Pere (Ouchard the Father), was born in 1872 in Mirecourt, France.  At the age of 14 Emile Francois was apprenticed to Eugene Cuniot as a young bow maker.  Even though Cuniot died in 1910, Emile Francois stayed with the firm, assisting Cuniot’s widow with the business until 1922.  As a result, many of his bows are stamped Cuniot-Hury.  You will also find many of Emile Francois’s bows stamped with other violinmaker’s names as was the tradition in Mirecourt.  His son Emile Auguste started as a bow maker in 1913 and worked alongside the other workers in his father’s shop.  By the mid 1930’s there were 15 workers in the shop and in 1937 Emile Auguste bought out his father’s business.  From 1937 until his death in 1951, Emile Francois continued making beautiful bows in Mirecourt.

“L’Archet”-Millant & Raffin

Louis Joseph Morizot was born in 1874, the son of a metal worker and the nephew of Mirecourt bow maker, Nicolas Maline.  First apprenticed with Eugene Cuniot he then worked for Charles Nicolas Bazin.  Around 1914 Louis Joseph then began collaborating with Eugene Sartory whose style influenced his frog making for the rest of his career.  He opened his own business around 1919 and  five of his six sons began working in the shop leading to the formation of the partnership known as Louis Morizot & Fils (sons).  This partnership created one of the most successful bow shops in Mirecourt.  When Louis Joseph died in 1957 he left a legacy as one of the greatest and prolific bow makers in the 20th century.

“L’Archet”- Millant & Raffin

Georges Emile Barjonnet was born in Mirecourt, France in 1903.  Son of a violinmaker, he and his brother became bowmakers.  Apprenticed with Cuniot-Hury he then went to work for Emile Francois Ouchard until 1937 when Emile Francois and Emile Auguste had a parting of the ways.  After working for Emile Auguste for a few years he hung out his own shingle in 1940 when E.A. Ouchard left for Paris.  WWII was not favorable to his business and he then went to work for Jerome Thibouville-Lamy until they closed their doors in 1969.  Georges Emile finished his career in 1980 having made some of his most beautiful bows for Roger Gerome.  As a result of this career, the vast majority of Barjonnet’s bows are stamped with various shop names and very few are actually branded with his name.