Antique Compagnon violin price?

[RueR]

I have this violin on loan for the week from my local shop. It has a label “Compagnon” inside with the number “856” etched on the neck. 
 

The shop did mention they will need to change out a peg and make it look a bit better. There are two square pieces of wood glued on the inside that I’m not sure if they are indicative of some prior major repair? 
 

What would be a fair price for this violin? From what I’ve read online, this could be a French violin mass produced in the late 1800s/early 1900s 

[Cerulean5346]

I own a Compagnon in "Oriental red" finish.  It's fun to play, but it's not a fine instrument by any stretch of the imagination.  Mine has the same label inside, just "COMPAGNON" in block letters and nothing else, and no number.

Your instrument was made by the Jérôme Thibouville-Lamy Firm in Mirecourt, France, likely sometime between 1890 and 1920.  It was an entry-level instrument, near the bottom of their product range.  The Compagnon is basically the same as their Medio Fino, but with genuine inlayed purfling instead of the simulated purfling consisting of two inscribed parallel lines found on the Medio Fino.  You should be able to find more information online about Medio Fino violins, including general descriptions and prices.  Compagnons are less common.

One thing to know about both the Medio Fino and the Compagnon is that they had tops and backs that were pressed into an arch shape, not carved.  As I understand it, this process is similar to the one used by the Gibson company to form the arch on their ES series archtop guitars.  Also, the backs tend to be poplar rather than maple. These were cost-cutting measures but could produce a surprisingly nice-sounding instrument.  The idea behind the Medio-Fino and Compagnon was to produce a reasonable quality instrument that the average French working man could afford.

I'm not a dealer, so I can't help you much with the price other than to say that it is a relatively inexpensive instrument.  I would expect to pay somewhere around $750 - $2,000 from a dealer, depending on the condition and location, but others who are more knowledgeable might be able to provide more accurate information.

[RueR]

17 hours ago, Cerulean5346 said:

I own a Compagnon in "Oriental red" finish.  It's fun to play, but it's not a fine instrument by any stretch of the imagination.  Mine has the same label inside, just "COMPAGNON" in block letters and nothing else, and no number.

Your instrument was made by the Jérôme Thibouville-Lamy Firm in Mirecourt, France, likely sometime between 1890 and 1920.  It was an entry-level instrument, near the bottom of their product range.  The Compagnon is basically the same as their Medio Fino, but with genuine inlayed purfling instead of the simulated purfling consisting of two inscribed parallel lines found on the Medio Fino.  You should be able to find more information online about Medio Fino violins, including general descriptions and prices.  Compagnons are less common.

One thing to know about both the Medio Fino and the Compagnon is that they had tops and backs that were pressed into an arch shape, not carved.  As I understand it, this process is similar to the one used by the Gibson company to form the arch on their ES series archtop guitars.  Also, the backs tend to be poplar rather than maple. These were cost-cutting measures but could produce a surprisingly nice-sounding instrument.  The idea behind the Medio-Fino and Compagnon was to produce a reasonable quality instrument that the average French working man could afford.

I'm not a dealer, so I can't help you much with the price other than to say that it is a relatively inexpensive instrument.  I would expect to pay somewhere around $750 - $2,000 from a dealer, depending on the condition and location, but others who are more knowledgeable might be able to provide more accurate information.

Appreciate the thorough response! I liked this violin the best out of the ones I’ve tried sound-wise but the $5,000 price seems a bit steep based on what I’ve read about Compagnons online and confirmed by what you wrote. 

[Guido]

What he said.

The numbers would be inventory numbers, from a dealer or an institution having owned the instrument, like a school.

The cleats seem to be on the centre seem, which is the usual practice with French violins.

The Compagnon sits slightly above the Medio Fino in the line up, the blonde is somewhat more popular than the dark; and yours seems in rather good condition (many are quite beaten up). I wouldn't be surprised if the asking price is at the upper end of the range mentioned above; and I have seen them North of it, too.