Georges Chanot I

Alongside J.B. Vuillaume, one of the great Parisian makers of the nineteenth century, Georges Chanot was born in Mirecourt in 1801. With his brother François (1788-1825) he worked in Paris from 1819, and was employed by C.F. Gand and Nicolas Lété. He established his own business in 1823 at 3, Place des Victoires, moving to 26 rue de Rivoli in 1837. The years 1839-1845 were largely devoted to travelling around Europe, refining his expertise, and in 1847 he made his final move to 1 Quai Malaquais. He died in 1883. Chanot was a very fine maker, particularly of replicas of classical Cremonese and Brescian work and the business he founded was continued by his son (by his mistress Antoinette Chardon) Joseph Chardon after his retirement in 1872 under the name Chanot et Chardon. Georges’ son with his wife Florentine, Georges II (1831-1893), moved to London in 1851, where he became established as a leader of the London violin trade.