Pierre Hel – Violin Maker (1884-1931)

Pierre Hel, son of world-renowned violin maker Pierre Joseph Hel, inherited his father’s studio in Lille after his passing in 1902. His approach to violin-making began to take shape at the conservatory in Lille and then at the Conservatoire Royal de La Haye (Den Haag). It is reported that Pierre apprenticed under Gustave Bazin (1871-1920) in Mirecourt and even before assuming ownership of his father’s enterprise, he started to gain recognition as an emerging star in the violin-making arena. In 1900, he won his first prize in Paris, and proceeded to win awards in 1904 in St. Louis, Missouri and in 1906 in Milan. 

In the early years at his workshop, Pierre continued to adhere to the style of the classic Italian role models, making outstanding replicas of Amati, Stradivari and Guarneri instruments. He also perpetuated his father’s practice of using striking, deep-red varnish.

Pierre’s first highly acclaimed achievement was realized in his design of the “Stradivarius Moderne” series, which was targeted to fulfill the needs of young soloists. His success with this series generated strong demand, leading him to outsource their production (starting in 1919) to Léon Victor Mougenot. From 1920 onward, Pierre’s instruments were sought after by increasing numbers of highly regarded soloists, and his reputation skyrocketed after the rave reviews that Rumanian soloist, composer and conductor George Enescu (1881-1955) received during his 1923 tour of the U.S., when he performed on a Pierre Hel violin. As a result, Pierre’s reputation grew to a status equal to that of his father.

A violin by Pierre Hel