Paul Bailly violin, circa 1895

French luthier Paul Bailly (1844–1907) was born in Mirecourt where he studied with Jules Gaillard before working with two makers of the celebrated Vuillaume family: Nicolas François in Brussels and his more renowned brother, Jean-Baptiste, who headed the most important workshop in Paris in the 19th century. Bailly traveled widely to practice his craft, working in England, the United States, and several French cities before settling in Paris in 1898. An exceptionally skilled and highly prolific maker of primarily Stradivari models, Bailly’s instruments won top awards at prestigious exhibitions. His daughter Jenny Bailly, also an accomplished maker and one of the few known female luthiers from the early 20th century, inherited his workshop after his death.