These luxurious instruments are the “d’après” instruments: those that are built to resemble the originals as closely as possible, and those from a particular school. In the latter case, we create the instrument in accordance with the aesthetic defined by a master of a certain period. This does not represent a passive dependance on our part, but an engagement to perpetuate the instrument’s original qualities. Concurrently, we have created harpsichord prototypes for contemporary music and also for French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS).

After the instrument’s principal characteristics are defined, you will have the chance to study the details and to discuss the decoration with our painter. Once built, all the instruments come under the hands of Marc Ducornet for final regulation. Of course, in the end, the instrument we will deliver to you will come to life under your fingertips! Thereafter, we assure the maintenance of our instruments over the years to come.

On a technical level, the materials we use are all aged and carefully selected by us. The different varieties of solid wood that we choose are similar to those used by our predecessors: lime, gray poplar, oak, beech, cherry, whitebeam, walnut, cypress, pine, etc. The soundboards, installed with hot glue, are made of spruce from the French, Swiss Jura regions, or from the Dolomites. All pieces of wood in the case’s interior are finished by plane and by wood chisel. In keeping with various schools, the natural keys are covered with ebony, the accidantals solid ebony slipped with bone. In the case of the Italian school, the naturals are covered with boxwood and accidentals are fruit wood. The keyboards are carved by hand for their balance. All painting is done with a brush.

We show here some of the instruments we have built. Other models are in progress, including an anonymous 17th-century French, a Flemish School Couchet enlarged to five octaves with buff stop), the Italian Cresci, the Walter fortepiano…