Author: Mark Charette
Date: 2002-08-10 02:29
From The New Langwill Index:
Gautrot ainé WWI, BI f1 Paris 1845-p1884.
Firm established by Pierre Louis Gautrot (b Mirecourt; d 1882), who 1838 had joined Guichard as 'associate subsequently becoming his brother-in-law; 1845 established as his successor, at first specializing in BIs and developing the latter's
pioneering techniques of 'usinage'; 1846 claimed to be the most important factory of its kind in Europe, with workforce of over 200, holding in stock 3000 comets, 1000 trombones, 1000 ophicleides; from 1846 Gautrot was chief organizer of opposition on the part of Paris manufacturers to A. Sax; 1846 as one of five plaintiffs commenced litigation against Sax demanding nullification of the latter's patents, in 18S4 finally decided in Sax's favour; 1847 workforce of 208, comprising 42% of entire BI-making workforce of Paris (Sax then employed 68-75); 1849 moved to larger premises in the Marais district, becoming the first maker to use steam power; 1850 advertised branch in London, by 1856 also in Madrid, Napoli, New York. 1855 opened second factory (also steam powered) at Chateau-Thierry (Ainé), recruiting the workforce locally, while also housing and training them: by 1857 formed there a 'corps de musique' (band) composed of 36 workers, providing them with 'professeur and 'salle de recititions'; he also opened a factory for SIs at Mirecourt (Vosges); 1855 Schebek reported a workforce in Paris of 300-320, with an annual production of 20,000 BIs, WWIs, PIs and Sls to a value of 1,200,000 francs; according to a report of 1860, 70% of his output was exported; 1856-59 successful litigation brought by Sax over Gautrot's infringement of his patents, after which Gautrot was ordered to pay 500,000 francs indemnity and stamp every Sax-model BI made; after Gautrot ignored the injunction Sax appealed, pursuing the matter until 1867; 1862 total workforce of 700 reported, with workshops for WWIs in La Couture and for Sls in Mirecourt totalling 200; according to a contemporary engraving, the Chateau-Thierry factory, conveniently sited by the banks of the river Mame, consisted of functional factory buildings adjoining a pair of workers' housing blocks; 1867 Hanslick reported that the firm's factories in Paris and Chateau-Thierry, each equipped with 12 horsepower steam engines, had an annual production of c 24,000 valved BIs, l500 bugles, post horns, etc., 500 WWIs, 2000 violins, 1200 PIs, totalling 47,200 MIs in all; 1870 workforce of over 600 at the two factories; 1872 workforce in Paris of 190; 1875 registered the trade names of 'Gautrot-Marquet' as designating '1er choix' instruments, and of 'Gautrot aine' those of '2me choix'; by 1877 the firm re-named 'Gautrot aine-Durand et Cie.', 1878 a member of Paris exhibition jury; 1881 bought the bankrupt firm of Tribart from its then proprietor F. Paris; 1883 Cousenon proprietors; it is uncertain for how long Couesnon continued to use the name. The firm supplied WIs for many other 'makers', among their clients being in 1857 Tulou, in 1867 (?also 1846) Kretzschmann, in 1886 Thibouville & Fils; from the start the firm specialized in 'pacotille' (cheaper quality) BIs, lower priced than those of their competitors, although instruments of high quality were also produced; Comettant reported that although there was hardly a village without their BIs, few were without numerous repairs; according to Jansen, Marquet was the name of Gautrot's wife; see Haine for illustrations of showroom and factory interiors. See also Breguet, Gandilhon, Godfrey, Goumas, Houzancourt, Lecomte, Robert, Sarrus.
MARK:
[ a ] G (anchor) A (in oval cartouche)
[ b ] (lyre) / GAUTROT AINÉ/ BREVETE / A PARIS / *
[ c ] J GAUTROT-MARQUET / PARIS / BREVETE S.G.D.G. (in oval cartouche)
ADDRESS:
1845-c1848: 'Gautrot', Close Notre Dame 6 et 8;
1849-51: 'Gautrot ainé', rue St Louis 64;
1851-53: 'Gautrot ainé et Cie.', ditto;
1853-55; rue St Louis 60;
1855-56: 'L.Gautrot aine', ditto;
1866-67: rue de Turenne 80;
1867-69: 'P.-L. Gautrot', ditto;
1869: 'Gautrot ainé et Cie.', ditto;
1877-1878: 'Gautrot ainé-Durand et Cie.', ditto;
1883-84: 'Gautrot aainé & Cie, Couesnon Gautrot & Cie. succrs.', ditto; 1884-85: rue d'Angoulemo.
INVENTION:
1847: 'systemé transpositeur' for Bls
1854 improved rotary valves ('systemé Breguet')
1856: 'sarrusophones' (family of WWIs named after Sarrus)
1857: flute in metal, Boehm-system clarinet (13k) in brass 'Double tube concentrique' (with double wall)
PATENT:
[according to Haine, the firm took out over 40 'brevets' and 'certificats d'addition')
1847 (F) #3170: improvements to horn ('cor omnitonique'), trumpet
1847 (F) #5877: improvements to BI valves
1847 (F) #6211: improvements to ophicleide
1852 (F) #13737: improvements to Bls
1854 (F) #20292: ditto
1854 (F) #11407: omnitonic horn
1855 (F) #22538: 'cor transpositeur'
1856 (F) #28000: new BI valve 'à ²otation conique'
1856 (F) #28034 (#16212): family of 'sarrusophones'
1856 (F) #29431 (#30562): WWIs in metal;
1857 (F) #30562: clarinet in metal;
1864 (F): 'systemé equitonique' (compensating BI valve);
1865 (GB) #741: ditto.
EXHIBITION:
Paris 1844, 1845, 1849, 1855, 1863, 1867, 1878
Toulouse 1845
London 1851, 1855, 1862, 1882
Lyon 1858, 1872
Chalons 1861
Nantes 1861
Anger 1864
Bayonne 1864
Porto 1865
Amsterdam 1869
Wien 1873
CATALOGUE:
Album catalogue (1850)
240pp (1867)
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The Clarinet BBoard
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