Antoine Vater

Antoine Vater (1689, Hanover, Germany — after 1759, Paris, France) was a notable French harpsichord maker of German origins, active in Paris between 1715 and his retirement in late 1759. Even though Vater ran a prolific operation for over forty years and likely produced dozens of harpsichords, there are only five known extant instruments today, with three definitively attributed to Vater. Name variations: Antonio Watters, Anton Vater, Valter, Waters. Born and raised in Hannover, Anton likely apprenticed at his father's workshop alongside his younger brother, Christian Vater (1679—1756). Christian stayed in Germany and took over the family's operations, while Antoine, twenty-six at the time, relocated to France. Throughout his forty-year career, Vater gained a reputation as one of the finest Parisian harpsichord builders. He served as an elected "juror" (director) of Académie de Saint-Luc, the city guild of painters and sculptors, between 1733 and 1735, and later was a Guardian of the Royal Harpsichords at Versailles. Antoine Vater had several apprentices over the years, most notably Henri Hemsch (1700—1769), and was friends with composer Georg Philipp Telemann (1681—1767), who stayed at his Paris house in 1737–38. In June 1759, Mercure de France gazette, published an advert announcing seventy-year-old le Sieur Vater's retirement and the sale of his remaining instruments, including a few Ruckers harpsichords. [u]Antoine Vater instruments[/u] 1732 Harpsichord at Cité de la Musique in Paris, France. Compass: F–e3(A) 1737 Harpsichord, private owner in Newbury, UK. Sold at Sotheby's in 1993, restored by David Leigh. Compass: EE–f3 °1737 Harpsichord, private owner in France °1737 Harpsichord at Ringve Museum in Trondheim, Norway; attributed to "Ant. Watters." Compass: FF–f3 1738 Harpsichord, private owner in Ireland