Bailly (1844-1915) was a pupil of Jules Galliard and J.B. Vuillaume and worked in Mirecourt, Lille, Douai, Paris, Reims and London. He made about 2,000 instruments in his lifetime, won gold, silver and bronze medals at Paris, Sydney and Melbourne, and marked the fact on his labels. It has been claimed this instrument was exhibited in the Sydney International Exhibition, however, the date on the instrument is too late.

Violin, timber, Paul Bailly, Mirecourt, France, 1886.

Two-piece back of even wide curl sloping down towards sides; head, neck and scroll similar; table of medium grain broadening towards edges; purfling; yellow-orange-brown varnish; ebony pegs, fingerboard, tailpiece and tailpin.

Made: 1886

Label reads; "10 Medailles Or. Vermeil, Argent et Bronze/ A Paris, Sydney, Melbourne, Etc/ No 296 [296 handwritten] Paul Bailly P.B./ Luthier/ Ancien Eleve de J.B. Vuillaume, de Paris/ 47, rue de Trevise Paris Année 1886 [last digit, '6' handwritten].

Handwritten inside violin Paul Bailly/ Luthier/ a Paris/ 1886/ 296;

Bridge marked: "A.E. Smith & Co. Ltd".

H8575

1886

105 mm

208 mm

592 mm