Claude Auguste Thomassin (1865-1942)
Claude Auguste Thomassin, born in Mirecourt, France, grew up amidst a family of saddle, bow and violin makers and ultimately developed into one of the most highly acclaimed bow makers of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. He apprenticed as a bow maker in the workshop of Charles Nicolas Bazin, whose reputation was highly regarded throughout Mirecourt in the late 19th century. At the age of eighteen, after completing his apprenticeship with Bazin, Thomassin relocated to Paris, where he began working for the firm of Gand & Bernardel.
His bows from this early stage of his development were stamped with either “Gand & Bernardel” or “Gustave Bernardel.” Like many of his associates at the firm, Thomassin’s work was very influenced by the Voirin school, although his bows displayed some unique characteristics, including slightly rounded ferrules, which eventually became more rounded later in his career.
Thomassin remained at Gand & Bernardel until 1901, when the firm was taken over by Caressa & Français. He then established his own shop on the Rue de Paris in Paris. While he continued to produce bows for his former employers and other reputable luthiers, his output was largely focused on his own bows, which were branded “C. Thomassin À Paris.”
Claude Thomassin is considered as one of the best bow makers of his time and his work is highly prized by professional players for their playability and fine workmanship.
