Nicolas Rémy Maire (1800-1878)
Born into Mirecourt’s strong archetier tradition, Nicholas Rémy Maire likely studied bow-making under Étienne Pajeot. He opened his own workshop at twenty-six, but the economic stagnation that sparked France’s July Revolution bankrupted his business in 1830. However, Maire persevered. Under the name Maire-Contal, a reference to Maire’s recent marriage to Anne Contal, his new atelier expanded to employ fifteen workers and produce four thousand bows per year.
During this period, Maire continued to work closely with his mentor, Étienne Pajeot, whose influence is clearly present in Maire’s Mirecourt bows. Pajeot’s business was unaffected by the recession due to his partnership with Parisian luthiers, and he ordered multiple bows from Maire, offering his struggling former apprentice some financial security. Over time, Maire became Pajeot’s right-hand man. After the master’s death in 1849, Maire began to explore business opportunities outside of Mirecourt.
Maire moved his workshop to Paris in 1853. There, his style shifted to more closely resemble the Peccatte model. He produced bows and completed repairs for prestigious workshops such as Chanot, Gand, and Vuillaume. Financial instability continued to plague Maire, but it did not impede his bow-making. Today, Maire is recognized as one of the nineteenth century’s greatest archetiers, and his bows are highly sought after.
