NICOLAS MAIRE REMY: THE HUMBLE

Some time ago, talking with a friend about the bad luck that seems to haunt people, he said to me "- Dear Paul, bad luck is just the excuse of the losers" -Well, I do not totally agree with him, but it is certain that having an exceptional talent, is very often not enough to make life easier and Nicolas Rémy Maire is a clear demonstration of this theory.

Fire Brand "Maire"

Almost contemporary of   JOSEPH FONCLAUSE  (1799), Nicolas Remy Maire, as well, was born at Mirecourt in 1800 by Sébastien Maire, a weaver, and Therese Tiblemont on the 8th of Snowy month (fourth month) of the ninth year of the Republican Calendar, i.e. November 29 for us and , as common at that time, he begins his apprenticeship in his hometown at a very young age. .

As you may recall, one of the few craftsmen, may be the only able to compete with the great Parisians , was starting his own job in Mirecourt in the early decade of '800. He was named "Genius", by J.F. Raffin in the book "L ' Archet " : ETIENNE PAJEOT .

The figure of Pajeot is crucial to understanding the evolution of both Fonclause and Maire.Orphan of both mother and father (who died in 1804 ca. ), Etienne was just twenty-four when he opens his own business and probably, not having a lot of funds available, rather than hiring already trained craftsmen, who surely would have cost more , he hires two children as apprentices Fonclause sixteen and Maire fifteen . Furthernore, apart from the economic issue, he had a personality with a strong propensity to command,and due to his young age, it was much easier to handle and train apprentices, instead of of mature men , less malleable, even though with more experience.

The history of these two craftsmen is parallel, at least in the first period. Maire as Fonclause, remain at Pajeot's for a decade or so, after that he makes a different choice than the one of his colleague, as you will recall he begins as early as 1830 to work for J.B. Vuillaume in Paris. He settles in Mirecourt with its brand in 1826 and continues to build, keeping very close to the style of his teacher.

On February 14, 1828 he marries Anne Contal and change the name of his company in "Maire-Contal " and from now on a series of "unlucky" events occur to Nicolas.

The couple gives birth to many children, but for various reasons, many of them fail to go beyond childhood. Francois , born on 11 June 1837 is luckier.

The thirties are the years of the French great depression. Workshops close one by one or greatly reduce production and are forced to lay off a large numbers of workers. Maire's workshop is affected by the crisis and Maire declare failure in the early thirties.This is probably the darkest period in the life of Nicolas.

In the mid-forties he seems to have recovered a little bit. The company Maire-Contal applies for Paris Expo in 1844, declaring to produce about four thousands bows a year, for a gross income of fifteen / sixteen thousand francs and to employ fifteen workers.

Apart from that document, not much is known of Maire's life before his departure for Paris. Probably in that show he got in touch with colleagues in the capital who helped him to sell a few bows. Although it is more likely that he joined his friend / teacher Pajeot who, thanks to his business contacts with Paris big workshops, like the Maison GAND , came out unscathed from the crisis. This hypothesis is strengthened by the fact that, after Pajeot 's death (1849), Nicolas moves from Mirecourt to Paris.

Missing the one who gave him work, and trusting in some contacts he had thanks to his master, he leaves Mirecourt and moved to 35 Rue de Viarmes and, since he was still listed as failed in Mirecourt, he was forced to open using the name of his son "Francois-Maire".

In Paris, thanks to the fact that he was at Pajeot's for years, loved by some, hated by others, but recognized by anyone as a great craftsman, he started working for some big names of the capital; Vuillaume in particular, but also Gand and Chanot.

The style of his bows in this period, resembles those ones of Dominique Peccatte, so to make often difficult to distinguish his own from the other.

After 1866 the company changes its name to "Francois-Maire" again by removing the first name of his son and from then onwards he will be known as "Maire".

In 1876 he moves to Montmartre, Rue de Burg 10, where he dies on June 17, 1878. After his death his widow sells what left i.e. some sticks and bows to the Maison Chanot.

The character

Violin bow in silver and ebony by Nicolas Maire 1826 ca.

It is not easy,almost impossible to outline Nicolas Maire's style. As a craftsman he has been working with Pajeot, great craftsman, but he, as well, does own a well-defined style; at that time one had more freedom, and above all everyone was trying to bring more innovations to the market.

The displayed bow is a classic example. The style of the head resembles his colleague during Pajeot's years: Fonclause. The main difference is in the development of the bevel, much larger, entering thoroughly into the top that almost completely closes when it arrives on the shoe.

The frog without coulisse vaguely recalls Lupot II, though much simpler especially in the design of the throat. This frog, a little particular to say the truth, is a classic example that tells us a lot about Maire's character . In most cases they are quite anonymous, even if well executed, a clear sign that despite having an excellent manuality ,he probably lacked both the taste and the desire to achieve results.

It was one of those craftsmen who could work well, but needed a supervisor to do so. This is demonstrated by the fact that the most aesthetically beautiful bows were built by Pajeot or Vuillaume.

Mechanically they are perfect and the curve used is of course the ancient one. Very similar to Pajeot's ones , they differ in sound, that is usually more delicate and less powerful than those of the Master.

The mechanic is the real strong point of Maire, which allows him to compare and compete with the greatest of all time.

So long

Paul.