With the construction happening just north of us on Bronson Ave. we wanted to assure you that business is still happening as usual for us at P. Dawson Violins. The east-bound Bronson St. exit of the 417hwy is still open and you can attempt to make the direct U-turn into our parking-lot behind the shop or park on Plymouth St, the first street beyond our doors, if you don't mind the 30sec walk. Likewise, the west-bound Bronson St. exit of the 417hwy is still open and will lead you down Catherine St. to where you can turn left on Bronson St.

Also of note is that although construction is happening on Bronson, there is still a south bound traffic lane open which will lead you right to our door. The only lane closure is north bound from Catherine through to Somerset.

     Philippe Girardin gained his formal training in violin lutherie from the International School of Violin Making in Cremona, Italy, where he graduated from in 1981 with distinctions and a Masters certificate. Shortly afterwards, he returned to his home country of Switzerland and after further training, opened his own workshop in Neuchâtel where he still works from today. In 1983, Philippe won his first award as a maker and has since won several more awards and points of merit for his instruments, most notably Pisogne in 2010 and the VSA in 2008. His instruments are used by professional performers and teachers throughout the world.
     The instruments of Philippe Girardin are known for their classic, airy Italian tone and defined clarity. is excellent workmanship and superb application of classic Cremonese varnish is also of special note.

     This instrument is available at our shop for the month of December as part of a special collection of fine modern and contemporary violins.

     Eugene Langonet was born in Mirecourt in 1875 and is accepted as a maker of very high regard. He apprenticed in the noted workshops of Chipot-Vuillaume and Paul Mangonet.
     Langonet was first employed as a maker by the famed firm of W. Hill & Sons of London, England where his task was crafting replicas of the master instruments of Stradivari. He stayed with the respected British firm for five years, leaving to return to Paris, France and the employ of Sylvestre and Maucotel. He moved to Nantes in 1910 and established his own shop. He was a medallist in the 1924 exhibition in Nantes.
     The instruments of Eugene Langonet are known for their clarity and excellence of tone as well as superb, methodical craftsmanship. His varnish is also of special mention.

This instrument is available at our shop for the month of December as part of a special collection of fine modern and contemporary violins.

     Nicolas Vuillaume was born in 1800 in Mirecourt, France and is a member of the most prolific family of violin makers in the history of that country. His brother Jean-Baptiste Vuillaume is considered by many to be the greatest copyists in history and one of the finest makers of violin family instruments to have ever lived.
     Nicolas Vuillaume received his training from his father, Claude-Francois and his brother Jean-Baptiste. He worked in Paris with his elder brother for some 10 years before returning to Mirecourt and establishing his own shop in 1842. While in Mirecourt, Nicolas Vuillaume supplied instruments to his brother Jean-Baptiste under the name "Stentor"; a name he chose after winning a bronze medal in 1855.
     The instruments of Nicolas Vuillaume are characterized as having a full and responsive tone with an excellent projection of volume. They are often the choice of orchestral players throughout the world.

     This instrument is available at our shop for the month of December as part of a special collection of fine modern and contemporary violins.

     Johann Gottlob Ficker was born in Neukirchen in 1744 and by the age of 20 was registered as a "Master" by the violinmaker's guild. The Ficker family is one of the most prolific in the history of the famed Neukirchen/Markneukirchen tradition of violin making with more than 250 years of crafting lineage. The great Italian violin connoisseur Count Cozio di Salabue makes mention of the Ficker family of luthiers in his memoirs, noting the unique practice they employed at times of inserting two soundposts into a single instrument. Although similarities in "high arching" are shared with the instruments crafted by Stainer, Johann Gottlob Ficker worked mostly from Stradivari or Amati outlines.
     The instruments of Johann Gottlob Ficker are know for their skilled execution in construction, lovely golden varnish and a powerful yet mellow and warm tonal quality.

     This instrument is available at our shop for the month of December as part of a special collection of fine modern and contemporary violins.

     In 1905, the 65-year-old Emil Hjorth established Emil Hjorth and Sons after some 116yrs of Hjorth family lutherie. In 1906, the elder Hjorth retired, leaving the business to his two sons, Otto (b. 1877) and Knud (b. 1880) whom were both trained initially by their father.
     Otto started with his fathers firm in 1892 but went to Paris and worked with George Cunault from 1900-1902. Knud started with his fathers firm in 1896 and traveled to Berlin to work in the shop of Ernest Kessler from 1904-1905. In 1950, the brothers were amongst the founders of Entente Internationale des Maitres Luthiers et Archetiers d'Art (EILA).
     The instruments of Otto and Knud Hjorth hold in most cases to the traditions of French violin making and they worked most often based on the models of Stradivari. They are know for a beautiful application of an oil varnish, detailed workmanship and even, clear tonal qualities.

     This instrument is available at our shop for the month of December as part of a special collection of fine modern and contemporary violins.

     Wojciech Topa is highly regarded as an excellent contemporary Polish maker and one of the finest young makers in the world today. His shop is located in Zakopane, Poland and his instruments are known for their striking appearance, fine tonal qualities and excellent selection of woods. The instruments of Wojciech Topa are the choice of many professional players including members of the Cleveland Orchestra and Atlanta Symphony amongst others. His workmanship is often referred to as showing strong characteristics of the German school of violin making but with the natural, airy tonal qualities of the classic Italian instruments. Most frequently he works in the styles of Guadagnini and Guarneri del Gesu with unique accents of his own stylistic personality.

     This instrument is available at our shop for the month of December as part of a special collection of fine modern and contemporary violins.

     Peter Mach was born in Czechoslovakia in 1945 where he was initially trained as a pattern maker. Before his immigration to Canada in 1969, Mach studied the art of violin making and bow construction from the noted luthier and archeterie Joseph Kun.
     In 1976 Peter Mach enrolled in the world-renowned International School of Violin Making in Cremona, Italy where he graduated from in 1980. Since then he has operated his own small shop in Quebec, Canada where he has received awards and accolades for his finely crafted violin family instruments. He has also created, developed and evolved the "Mach One" shoulder-rest for violin and viola.
     The instruments of Peter Mach are known first and foremost for their excellent sound and playability. His instruments are owned by professional musicians throughout the world, including several members of the NAC orchestra, The Andre Rieu's Orchestra and others throughout the world. A double bass crafted by Mach in the style of George Panormo was also selected for the Opus collection of the Canadian Museum of Civilization.

     This instrument is available at our shop for the month of December as part of a special collection of fine modern and contemporary violins.

     Mihály Reményi was born in Budapest in 1867 and is considered the patriarch of a renowned family of instrument makers and experts. He was a pupil of Tánczer as well as Bartek and in 1890 established his own workshop in Budapest that served the royal court. His instruments were considered to be of the highest standards in a country that was home to one of the great copyists in history, Samuel Nemessányi. The instruments crafted by Mihály Reményi and his shop, were the first used for the famed teaching methods of Zoltan Kodály. He is also known as an award-winning maker, most notably Milan 1894, Budapest 1896, Paris 1895 & 1900 as well as in Pecs 1910.
     The instruments of Mihály Reményi are highly sought after. He worked most often in the style of Guarneri del Gesu but in more rare cases upon the molds of Stradivari. His expert level of workmanship is most noted in the execution of his "f-holes" and scrolls. His varnish is particularly striking.
     Mihály Reményi was also known as an experimentalist, stepping outside of the normal design of the bass-bar construction and execution as well as instrument plate graduations. He is also known for his extensive studies of the acoustical properties of wood.

     This instrument is available at our shop for the month of December as part of a special collection of fine modern and contemporary violins.

     Maurizio Tadioli was born in Cremona, Italy in 1967 and is one of the most respected contemporary makers in the world today. He began his craft guided by the tutelage of his grandfather and gained his formal education in violin lutherie attending The International School of Violin Making in Cremona where he graduated in 1985 earning the highest honors. Since his graduation he has attended the master classes of many noted makers and won a number of awards and accolades for his instruments throughout the world. He runs his own successful shop in Cortetano, just outside of Cremona and for several years has been an instructor in varnish application at The International Violin Making School of Cremona.
     The instruments of Maurizio Tadioli are known for their beautiful appearance and expert application of varnish as well as a classic Italian tone.

     This instrument is available at our shop for the month of December as part of a special collection of fine modern and contemporary violins.