Presentation - Bois d'Harmonie

Company

With more than 35 years of experience in traditional making, Bois d'Harmonie leans on fittings history and studies. We back you in your search for ease of play, ergonomics and sound optimisation of your instrument.

History

Founded in 1985 by Éric Fouilhé, Bois d'Harmonie continued and renewed the French art of quartet's instruments fittings making. As early as 1995, more than 30 stradivarius' instruments are fitted with Bois d'harmonie accessories.
Nowadays, our fittings are reknown and supplied all over the world. They're used on a consequent number of prestigious old instruments, as well as numerous new instruments of reputable master makers.

During all these years, our accessories evolved in order to bring you the best of ergonomics and acoustics.
In 2009, Éric Fouilhé, willing to devote to acoustical research, passed on the head of the company to Raphaël Thirion, who assisted him in his work and research since 2003, after having followed a 4 year course of violin making at the NSVM in Newark on Trent in England.

Team

At the moment, there are five people working at the workshop : Dominique, Mélaine, Simon, Olivier and Raphaël.

Environment

The workshop sits in Crest, near Valence, close to the Drôme valley and the Rhone valley. This land of mountains and sun is ideally situated between Lyons (100km) and Marseilles (200km). This region is well known for production of wooden objects. It's also a region where boxwood (buxus sempervirens), traditionally used for fittings, loves to grow.

Knowledges

Making

The techniques and methods of making are closely linked to advances made in the field of researches. Our accessories are made in a traditional way, but they intrinsically evolve thanks to scientific progress.

Carving

Our carved accessories show the patterns commonly used in the 19th century. These pieces are most of time made in boxwood, but can also be made in ebony. We use micro-carving techniques adapted to our standards and the finesse of the patterns.