Claude Pierray

Claude Pierray (170?—c. 1740)* was an illustrious French luthier, one of the most prominent violin-makers of 'Vieux Paris' school alongside Jacques Boquay. His workshop was on rue des Fossés-St-Germain-des-Prés. Pierray produced violins, viols, and cellos (notably smaller in proportions) and repaired harpsichords. Both luthiers specialized in "Amati-style replicas," essentially, and generally produced very comparable instruments. Even though Pierray tended to pick higher quality wood, especially for fronts, and proliferated in sophistication and finesse, Boquay's instruments were costlier and more in-demand during their lifetimes, celebrated for brighter "character" and powerful sound. However, posthumously, both Pierray's and Boquay's relabeled violins and cellos got auctioned and sold as legitimate XVII-century Italian builds. * The "New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians" by Oxford University Press printed Pierray's death date as '28 Dec 1729,' but several violins appeared at Sotheby's Musical Instruments Auction around 1997–'98, with estimated later dates of production: ♬ 1730 violin (labeled "Claude Pierray à Paris, 1712") ♬ 1730 violin (with faux "Made by Alesandro Gagliano, Naples..." label) ♬ 1735 violin (labeled "Claude Pieray, à Paris 1725")