{"id":33887,"date":"2026-09-30T10:20:04","date_gmt":"2026-09-30T08:20:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/vichy-encheres.com\/?p=33887"},"modified":"2026-10-07T15:47:44","modified_gmt":"2026-10-07T13:47:44","slug":"cabrette-histoire-auvergne-paris","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/vichy-encheres.com\/en\/2026\/09\/30\/cabrette-histoire-auvergne-paris\/","title":{"rendered":"La cabrette, une histoire entre l\u2019Auvergne et Paris"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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La vente d\u2019instruments \u00e0 vent et \u00e0 cordes pinc\u00e9es du 7 novembre 2026 nous donne l\u2019occasion de nous replonger dans l\u2019histoire de la cabrette, instrument embl\u00e9matique de l\u2019Auvergne dont l\u2019histoire est \u00e9galement \u00e9troitement li\u00e9e \u00e0 la communaut\u00e9 auvergnate de Paris. La pr\u00e9sence dans la vente de mod\u00e8les portant les noms d\u2019Amadieu, Costeroste, Alias, Dufayet ou encore Gasparoux, permet de revenir sur l\u2019histoire de l\u2019instrument. \u00c0 cet ensemble r\u00e9pondent des cornemuses de Charbonnier, Sautivet, B\u00e9chonnet, Pouget ou Pajot Jeune, qui t\u00e9moignent de la grande diversit\u00e9 de ces instruments au XIX\u00e8me<\/sup> si\u00e8cle. Notre connaissance de l\u2019histoire de la cabrette a \u00e9t\u00e9 consid\u00e9rablement enrichie par les recherches r\u00e9unies en 2017 dans l\u2019ouvrage La Cabrette. Histoire & technique d\u2019une cornemuse<\/em>, dirig\u00e9 par Andr\u00e9 Ricros avec la collaboration d\u2019\u00c9ric Montbel et les contributions de Didier Perre, Bernard Blanc, Michel Chavannon et Marius Lutgerinck – un ouvrage de r\u00e9f\u00e9rence sur lequel nous nous sommes largement appuy\u00e9s pour notre article.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

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Par C\u00e9cile Alves-Convert, documentaliste pour Vichy Ench\u00e8res<\/h6>\n\n\n\n
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Catalogue<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n
Vente du 6 novembre 2026<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n
Vente du 7 novembre 2026<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n
Contact<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n
Experts<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n
English version<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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La cabrette et ses origines<\/h1>\n\n\n\n
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La cabrette appartient \u00e0 la grande famille des cornemuses. Elle est constitu\u00e9e d\u2019une poche servant de r\u00e9serve d\u2019air, d\u2019un hautbois sur lequel le musicien joue la m\u00e9lodie et d\u2019un ou plusieurs bourdons. L\u2019air peut \u00eatre envoy\u00e9 dans la poche directement par la bouche ou au moyen d\u2019un soufflet plac\u00e9 sous le bras. Ce dernier syst\u00e8me est aujourd\u2019hui l\u2019un des \u00e9l\u00e9ments les plus caract\u00e9ristiques de l\u2019instrument, mais les cabrettes \u00e0 bouche furent \u00e9galement utilis\u00e9es et plusieurs mod\u00e8les sont parvenus jusqu\u2019\u00e0 nous [1]<\/sup><\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

La vente du 7 novembre 2026 comporte notamment une cabrette \u00e0 bouche nous livrant un int\u00e9ressant t\u00e9moignage de l\u2019\u00e9volution de l\u2019instrument. Elle rappelle qu\u2019avant de devenir presque indissociable du soufflet, la cabrette pouvait encore \u00eatre directement aliment\u00e9e par le souffle du musicien.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Le nom de l\u2019instrument rappelle ses origines linguistiques. Cabrette<\/em> vient de l\u2019occitan cabreta<\/em>, qui signifie \u201cpetite ch\u00e8vre\u201d. Mais selon les lieux et les \u00e9poques, les termes chabra<\/em>, \u201cch\u00e8vre\u201d ou encore \u201cmusette\u201d ont \u00e9galement \u00e9t\u00e9 employ\u00e9s. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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[1]<\/sup><\/a> Andr\u00e9 Ricros et collaborateurs, La Cabrette. Histoire & technique d\u2019une cornemuse<\/em>, 2017, p. 28 et p. 74-81<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Ce dernier nom \u00e9tait toujours en usage dans certaines parties du Massif central \u00e0 la fin du XIX\u00e8me<\/sup> si\u00e8cle, avant que celui de cabrette ne s\u2019impose progressivement [1]<\/a><\/sup>. L\u2019anciennet\u00e9 de la pratique de la cornemuse en Auvergne ne fait gu\u00e8re de doute.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Il est en revanche beaucoup plus difficile d\u2019affirmer que les instruments mentionn\u00e9s dans les textes anciens correspondaient exactement \u00e0 la cabrette que nous connaissons aujourd\u2019hui. Les appellations comme la forme des instruments ayant \u00e9volu\u00e9 au cours du temps, il convient de distinguer l\u2019ancienne tradition de cornemuse attest\u00e9e en Haute-Auvergne de la cabrette sous sa forme moderne, qui appara\u00eet plus tardivement [2]<\/sup><\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cette distinction est importante car elle permet de comprendre l\u2019une des particularit\u00e9s les plus int\u00e9ressantes de la cabrette. Les recherches men\u00e9es par Andr\u00e9 Ricros et \u00c9ric Montbel montrent que cette derni\u00e8re s\u2019est en grande partie d\u00e9velopp\u00e9e \u00e0 Paris au cours du XIX\u00e8me si\u00e8cle, au sein de la communaut\u00e9 auvergnate install\u00e9e dans la capitale.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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[1]<\/a> Didier Perre, \u201c\u00c9l\u00e9ments de vocabulaire\u201d, dans La Cabrette. Histoire & technique d\u2019une cornemuse<\/em>, 2017, p. 89-96<\/p>\n\n\n\n

[2]<\/a> Andr\u00e9 Ricros, \u201cUne tradition de cornemuse en Haute-Auvergne\u201d, dans La Cabrette. Histoire & technique d\u2019une cornemuse<\/em>, 2017, p. 23-81<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\"Jean-Pierre<\/a>
Jean-Pierre Privat et Joseph Villaret jouant de la cabrette \u00e0 bouche en Aubrac, avant 1905. cr\u00e9dits photos Marcel Privat.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Cabrette<\/a>
Cabrette \u00e0 bouche, anonyme, XIX\u00e8me.
Instrument mis en vente par Vichy Ench\u00e8res le 7 novembre 2026
\u00a9 Vichy Ench\u00e8res<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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La cabrette et les Auvergnats de Paris<\/h1>\n\n\n\n
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\"Le<\/a>
Le Balajo, rue de Lappe, Paris, 1936<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Au XIX\u00e8me<\/sup> si\u00e8cle, de nombreux habitants du Massif central quitt\u00e8rent leur r\u00e9gion pour venir travailler \u00e0 Paris. Ils form\u00e8rent progressivement une importante communaut\u00e9 et se retrouvaient dans les nombreux caf\u00e9s et bals auvergnats de la capitale, principalement rue de Lappe, o\u00f9 fleurirent des \u00e9tablissements comme le Bal Bouscatel, le Bal Chambon ou, plus tard, le c\u00e9l\u00e8bre Balajo – autant de lieux o\u00f9 on dansait et jouait de la cabrette. Mais Paris ne fut pas seulement un lieu o\u00f9 les Auvergnats continu\u00e8rent \u00e0 jouer un instrument apport\u00e9 du pays. La capitale devint aussi un lieu de transformation. \u00c0 Paris, la cabrette \u00e9volua au contact des musiciens et des artisans. Tourneurs, tabletiers, fabricants de soufflets et facteurs perfectionn\u00e8rent peu \u00e0 peu l\u2019instrument pour l\u2019adapter aux besoins des cabrettaires[1]<\/sup><\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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[1]<\/sup><\/a> Andr\u00e9 Ricros et \u00c9ric Montbel, La Cabrette. Histoire & technique d\u2019une cornemuse<\/em>, 2017, p. 315-367<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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\u00c0 partir de la seconde moiti\u00e9 du XIX\u00e8me <\/sup>si\u00e8cle, les cabrettaires prirent une place importante au sein de la communaut\u00e9 auvergnate de Paris. Ils animaient les nombreux bals auvergnats de la capitale, qui allaient progressivement devenir les c\u00e9l\u00e8bres bals musette parisiens. Antonin Bouscatel, l\u2019un des cabrettaires originaires du Cantal les plus c\u00e9l\u00e8bres de Paris, fut l\u2019une des grandes figures de cette \u00e9poque[1]<\/sup><\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cette histoire parisienne explique en partie l\u2019\u00e9volution de la cabrette. Au contact des musiciens et des nouveaux r\u00e9pertoires, l\u2019instrument se transforme peu \u00e0 peu et la cabrette \u00e0 soufflet finit par s\u2019imposer. La cabrette \u00e0 bouche ne dispara\u00eet pas pour autant, comme en t\u00e9moignent deux instruments de la vente, r\u00e9alis\u00e9s par Alias et Costeroste – tous deux install\u00e9s \u00e0 Paris.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ces deux instruments t\u00e9moignent ainsi de la coexistence des cabrettes \u00e0 bouche et \u00e0 soufflet au cours du XIX\u00e8me si\u00e8cle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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[1]<\/sup><\/a> Andr\u00e9 Ricros, avec la collaboration d\u2019\u00c9ric Montbel, Bouscatel. Le roman d\u2019un cabreta\u00efre<\/em>, 2012<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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\"Cabrette<\/a>
Cabrette \u00e0 bouche d’ALIAS \u00e0 Paris, vers 1900<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Cabrette<\/a>
Cabrette \u00e0 bouche de COSTEROSTE \u00e0 Paris, milieu XIX\u00e8me<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
Instruments mis en vente par Vichy Ench\u00e8res le 7 novembre 2026 \/ \u00a9 Vichy Ench\u00e8res\/ Photo C. Darbelet<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Pez\u00e9, Amadieu et les d\u00e9buts de la facture parisienne<\/h1>\n\n\n\n
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\"Le<\/a>
Le joueur de musette, gravure, XVIIIe si\u00e8cle, Metropolitan Museum of New York<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Pied<\/a>
Pied de cabrette Beno\u00eet AMADIEU (1804-1877) \u00e0 Paris.
Instrument mis en vente par Vichy Ench\u00e8res le 7 novembre 2026
\u00a9 Vichy Ench\u00e8res\/ Photo C. Darbelet<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Claude<\/a>
Claude Vignon, Portrait de Fran\u00e7ois Langlois jouant de la sourdeline, vers 1621-1624, huile sur toile, Davis Museum at Wellesley College, Wellesley<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Rare<\/a>
Rare Cabrette \u00e0 bouche (37,5 cm) par Peze (facteur \u00e0 Paris)
Instrument mis en vente par Vichy Ench\u00e8res le 7 novembre 2026
\u00a9 Vichy Ench\u00e8res\/ Photo C. Darbelet<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Qui inventa r\u00e9ellement la cabrette moderne ? La question est ancienne et il est encore difficile d\u2019y r\u00e9pondre avec certitude. Le nom de Pez\u00e9 appara\u00eet parmi les premiers. Plusieurs instruments portant sa marque sont aujourd\u2019hui connus et Andr\u00e9 Ricros avance l\u2019hypoth\u00e8se qu\u2019il ait pu \u00eatre l\u2019un des premiers fabricants \u00e0 travailler pour les Auvergnats install\u00e9s \u00e0 Paris. Aucun document ne permet cependant de lui attribuer avec certitude l\u2019invention de la cabrette. Il pourrait aussi avoir perfectionn\u00e9 un instrument d\u00e9j\u00e0 existant ou travaill\u00e9 \u00e0 la demande de musiciens[1]<\/sup><\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Le nom de Beno\u00eet Amadieu est tout aussi important dans cette histoire. Les recherches men\u00e9es dans les archives parisiennes le mentionnent comme fabricant de soufflets ou \u201csouffletier\u201d, tandis que de nombreuses cabrettes portant son nom sont aujourd\u2019hui conserv\u00e9es. La date \u00e0 laquelle il commen\u00e7a r\u00e9ellement \u00e0 fabriquer ces instruments et le r\u00f4le exact qu\u2019il joua dans leur \u00e9volution restent n\u00e9anmoins difficiles \u00e0 \u00e9tablir[2]<\/sup><\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Le pied de cabrette d\u2019Amadieu pr\u00e9sent\u00e9 dans la vente du 7 novembre t\u00e9moigne de cette activit\u00e9 parisienne. R\u00e9alis\u00e9 en buis et orn\u00e9 de bagues d\u2019ivoire, il porte son nom ainsi que l\u2019adresse \u201crue de l\u2019Estrapade \u00e0 Paris\u201d et poss\u00e8de un hautbois de 37 cm. Amadieu est associ\u00e9 au cours de son activit\u00e9 \u00e0 plusieurs adresses parisiennes, notamment \u00e0 la rue de Lappe – l\u2019un des principaux lieux de rencontre des Auvergnats de Paris et des cabrettaires.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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[1]<\/sup><\/a> Andr\u00e9 Ricros, La Cabrette. Histoire & technique d\u2019une cornemuse<\/em>, 2017, p. 315-331<\/p>\n\n\n\n

[2]<\/sup><\/a> Andr\u00e9 Ricros, La Cabrette. Histoire & technique d\u2019une cornemuse<\/em>, 2017, p. 389-400<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Notons cependant que l\u2019utilisation du soufflet sur les cornemuses est bien ant\u00e9rieure \u00e0 la cabrette moderne. Entre 1621 et 1624, Claude Vignon repr\u00e9sente Fran\u00e7ois Langlois jouant d\u2019une sourdeline, cornemuse aliment\u00e9e par un soufflet et munie de trois chalumeaux d\u2019\u00e9b\u00e8ne. Cette repr\u00e9sentation montre que le principe du soufflet \u00e9tait d\u00e9j\u00e0 connu en France au d\u00e9but du XVII\u00e8me si\u00e8cle[1]<\/sup><\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00c9ric Montbel a rapproch\u00e9 l\u2019instrument de la musette de cour, tr\u00e8s en vogue aux XVII\u00e8me<\/sup> et XVIII\u00e8me<\/sup> si\u00e8cles et qui fonctionnait d\u00e9j\u00e0 \u00e0 l\u2019aide d\u2019un soufflet. Certains principes de construction auraient pu \u00eatre repris et adapt\u00e9s aux besoins des cabrettaires au cours du XIX\u00e8me<\/sup> si\u00e8cle et Amadieu aurait pu participer \u00e0 cette \u00e9volution. Cette filiation reste toutefois \u00e0 l\u2019\u00e9tat d\u2019hypoth\u00e8se[2]<\/sup><\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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[1]<\/sup><\/a> Florence G\u00e9treau, \u201cQuelques cabinets d\u2019instruments en France au temps des rois Bourbons\u201d, Musique \u2022 Images \u2022 Instruments<\/em>, n\u00b0 8, 2006, p. 25-44<\/p>\n\n\n\n

[2]<\/sup><\/a>  \u00c9ric Montbel dans La Cabrette. Histoire & technique d\u2019une cornemuse<\/em>, 2017, p. 341-367<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Costeroste et Alias<\/h1>\n\n\n\n
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\"Photographie<\/a><\/figure>\n
Photographie d\u2019une famille de bougnat devant un caf\u00e9-charbon parisien, d\u00e9but XXe si\u00e8cle<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Dans la seconde moiti\u00e9 du XIX\u00e8me<\/sup> si\u00e8cle, la facture de la cabrette est mieux document\u00e9e et plusieurs facteurs install\u00e9s \u00e0 Paris acqui\u00e8rent une v\u00e9ritable renomm\u00e9e aupr\u00e8s des cabrettaires.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Joseph Costeroste est l\u2019une des figures majeures. N\u00e9 en 1850 dans le Cantal, il s\u2019installa tr\u00e8s t\u00f4t \u00e0 Paris o\u00f9 il fut \u00e0 la fois musicien et facteur de cabrettes. Ses instruments \u00e9taient g\u00e9n\u00e9ralement r\u00e9alis\u00e9s en buis ou en \u00e9b\u00e8ne et souvent orn\u00e9s de bagues d\u2019ivoire. Costeroste fabriqua des cabrettes pr\u00e9sentant diff\u00e9rentes dispositions de bourdons et contribua ainsi \u00e0 l\u2019\u00e9volution de l\u2019instrument dans la seconde moiti\u00e9 du XIX\u00e8me<\/sup> si\u00e8cle[1]<\/sup><\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

La cabrette \u00e0 bouche Costeroste cit\u00e9e plus haut et pr\u00e9sent\u00e9e dans la vente est particuli\u00e8rement int\u00e9ressante puisqu\u2019elle conserve sa poche et son bouffoir. Elle est \u00e9galement accompagn\u00e9e d\u2019une m\u00e9thode et d\u2019une lettre manuscrite explicative – des documents rares et pr\u00e9cieux pour comprendre l\u2019apprentissage et l\u2019utilisation de l\u2019instrument.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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[1]<\/sup><\/a> Andr\u00e9 Ricros, La Cabrette. Histoire & technique d\u2019une cornemuse<\/em>, 2017, p. 433-443<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Auguste Alias est un autre grand nom de la facture de la cabrette et fait partie de la g\u00e9n\u00e9ration suivante. N\u00e9 en 1865 \u00e0 Rieupeyroux dans l\u2019Aveyron, il s\u2019installa lui aussi \u00e0 Paris o\u00f9 il exer\u00e7a comme fabricant et cabrettaire. Ses instruments t\u00e9moignent des recherches men\u00e9es \u00e0 cette \u00e9poque pour am\u00e9liorer les possibilit\u00e9s de jeu de la cabrette, \u00e0 l\u2019exemple des mod\u00e8les ayant re\u00e7u des clefs permettant d\u2019obtenir des notes suppl\u00e9mentaires[1]<\/sup><\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Deux pi\u00e8ces de la vente du 7 novembre t\u00e9moignent de la qualit\u00e9 des instruments r\u00e9alis\u00e9s par Alias. La premi\u00e8re est une cabrette \u00e0 bouche en buis teint\u00e9, orn\u00e9e de bagues d\u2019ivoire et conserv\u00e9e avec sa poche d\u2019origine. Son hautbois mesure 38 cm. La seconde, r\u00e9alis\u00e9e vers 1900, est un hautbois de 37 cm en \u00e9b\u00e8ne \u00e9galement orn\u00e9 de bagues d\u2019ivoire. Le choix de ces mat\u00e9riaux t\u00e9moigne du soin et du raffinement apport\u00e9s par Alias \u00e0 ses instruments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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[1]<\/sup><\/a> Andr\u00e9 Ricros, La Cabrette. Histoire & technique d\u2019une cornemuse<\/em>, 2017, p. 376-387<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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\"Cabrette<\/a>
Cabrette \u00e0 bouche de COSTEROSTE \u00e0 Paris, milieu XIX\u00e8me. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Hautbois<\/a>
Hautbois de cabrette d’ALIAS \u00e0 Paris, fait vers 1900. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Cabrette<\/a>
Cabrette \u00e0 bouche d’ALIAS \u00e0 Paris, vers 1900. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
Instruments mis en vente par Vichy Ench\u00e8res le 7 novembre 2026
\u00a9 Vichy Ench\u00e8res\/ Photo C. Darbelet<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Dufayet et Gasparoux<\/h1>\n\n\n\n
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La fabrication de la cabrette se poursuit \u00e0 Paris \u00e0 la fin du XIX\u00e8me<\/sup> et au d\u00e9but du XX\u00e8me<\/sup> si\u00e8cle avec des facteurs comme Antoine Dufayet. N\u00e9 en 1879 dans le Cantal, il s\u2019installe \u00e0 Paris o\u00f9 il exerce \u00e0 la fois comme musicien et fabricant de cabrettes. Habile tourneur, il fabriquait et d\u00e9corait lui-m\u00eame ses instruments. Le cabrettaire Claude S\u00e9guret – qui consacra \u00e0 l\u2019instrument une \u00e9tude publi\u00e9e \u00e0 la fin des ann\u00e9es 1970 – rapporte qu\u2019il lui arrivait de reproduire les marques de facteurs plus anciens comme Amadieu ou Costeroste, ce qui peut aujourd\u2019hui compliquer l\u2019attribution de certaines cabrettes[1]<\/sup><\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Deux pieds de Dufayet figurent dans la vente, r\u00e9alis\u00e9s en deux bois diff\u00e9rents et donnant un bel aper\u00e7u de sa facture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00c9galement originaire du Cantal, Jean-\u00c9lie Gasparoux (1869-1953) s\u2019installa lui aussi \u00e0 Paris o\u00f9 il fabriqua des cabrettes \u00e0 la fin du XIX\u00e8me<\/sup> et au d\u00e9but du XX\u00e8me<\/sup> si\u00e8cle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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[1]<\/sup><\/a> Claude S\u00e9guret, \u201cLa cabrette\u201d, Revue de la Solidarit\u00e9<\/em>, 1977-1978<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Ses instruments parvenus jusqu\u2019\u00e0 nous t\u00e9moignent d\u2019un beau savoir-faire, r\u00e9alis\u00e9s \u00e0 partir de mat\u00e9riaux nobles comme la grenadille et l\u2019ivoire. Certains de ses pieds se distinguent \u00e9galement par leur tournage aux formes arrondies[1]<\/sup><\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

La vente du 7 novembre pr\u00e9sente une cabrette pour enfant de Gasparoux particuli\u00e8rement int\u00e9ressante car ce type d\u2019instrument de petites dimensions est moins commun.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

R\u00e9alis\u00e9e en grenadille et orn\u00e9e de bagues d\u2019ivoire, elle est compl\u00e8te de sa poche et de son soufflet d\u2019origine. Son hautbois ne mesure que 32 cm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

L\u2019apprentissage de la cabrette reposait autrefois en grande partie sur une transmission orale entre musiciens, souvent au sein de la communaut\u00e9 auvergnate. Cette petite cabrette t\u00e9moigne ainsi de l\u2019existence d\u2019instruments adapt\u00e9s aux plus jeunes et se pr\u00e9sente \u00e0 nous comme un rare t\u00e9moin mat\u00e9riel de cet apprentissage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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[1]<\/sup><\/a> Andr\u00e9 Ricros, La Cabrette. Histoire & technique d\u2019une cornemuse<\/em>, 2017, p. 464-468<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n
\"Pied<\/a>
Pied de cabrette de DUFAYET \u00e0 Paris, XIXeme. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Cabrette<\/a>
Cabrette pour enfant de GASPAROUX, fin XIX\u00e8me.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Pied<\/a>
Pied de cabrette de DUFAYET \u00e0 Paris. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
Instruments mis en vente par Vichy Ench\u00e8res le 7 novembre 2026
\u00a9 Vichy Ench\u00e8res\/ Photo C. Darbelet<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Autour de la cabrette<\/h1>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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\"Ch\u00e2teau<\/a>
Ch\u00e2teau d’Effiat, environs d’Aigueperse, ancienne carte postale, Edition H. B\u00e9rillon<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Jenzat,<\/a>
Jenzat, Belles \u00e9l\u00e9gantes pr\u00e8s du Pont sur la Sioule 1904<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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La vente du 7 novembre permet \u00e9galement de d\u00e9couvrir d\u2019autres cornemuses du Centre de la France, bien diff\u00e9rentes de la cabrette. Leurs formes, leurs dimensions ou la disposition de leurs bourdons t\u00e9moignent de la grande diversit\u00e9 des instruments alors en usage. \u00c9ric Montbel a d\u2019ailleurs montr\u00e9 combien il \u00e9tait difficile de les rattacher \u00e0 des mod\u00e8les r\u00e9gionaux parfaitement d\u00e9finis[1]<\/sup><\/a>. Parmi les exemples pr\u00e9sent\u00e9s \u00e0 Vichy figurent notamment une cornemuse \u00e0 bouche de Charbonnier et une autre de Sautivet, remarquable par son d\u00e9cor d\u2019incrustations d\u2019\u00e9tain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Au sein de cet ensemble, le travail de Joseph B\u00e9chonnet occupe une place particuli\u00e8re. Install\u00e9 \u00e0 Effiat, dans le Puy-de-D\u00f4me, B\u00e9chonnet compte parmi les facteurs les plus importants du Centre de la France au XIX\u00e8me<\/sup> si\u00e8cle. Son nom reste associ\u00e9 \u00e0 de grandes cornemuses dont la facture et le d\u00e9cor diff\u00e8rent sensiblement de ceux de la cabrette. Le mod\u00e8le pr\u00e9sent\u00e9 \u00e0 Vichy, dat\u00e9 vers 1850, en offre un tr\u00e8s bel exemple avec son bo\u00eetier orn\u00e9 d\u2019une rose et son curieux d\u00e9cor \u201c\u00e0 dents de scie\u201d, form\u00e9 d\u2019une succession de petits motifs triangulaires.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

La fabrication des cornemuses \u00e9tait \u00e9galement bien implant\u00e9e dans le Berry et le Bourbonnais. \u00c0 Ardentes, dans l\u2019Indre, l\u2019atelier Pouget produisait des instruments d\u00e8s le XIX\u00e8me<\/sup> si\u00e8cle, tandis que Jenzat, dans l\u2019Allier, \u00e9tait devenu un important centre de lutherie o\u00f9 plusieurs g\u00e9n\u00e9rations de facteurs fabriquaient vielles et cornemuses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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[1]<\/sup><\/a> \u00c9ric Montbel, \u201cLes cornemuses du Massif Central. Autour de la cabrette\u201c, dans La Cabrette. Histoire & technique d\u2019une cornemuse<\/em>, 2017, p. 105<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n
\n
\"Jean-Baptiste<\/a>
Jean-Baptiste PAJOT \u00e0 Jenzat<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Joseph<\/a>
Joseph B\u00e9chonnet<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Parmi eux, Jacques-Antoine Pajot, dit Pajot Jeune, n\u00e9 \u00e0 Jenzat en 1847, s\u2019installa \u00e0 son compte en 1875. Son atelier s\u2019inscrivait dans une v\u00e9ritable tradition familiale qui fit de Jenzat l\u2019un des grands centres de fabrication d\u2019instruments traditionnels. La cornemuse pr\u00e9sent\u00e9e \u00e0 Vichy porte sa marque, mais elle est aujourd\u2019hui \u00e9quip\u00e9e d\u2019un hautbois de Charbonnier. Cette association t\u00e9moigne aussi de la vie de ces instruments, r\u00e9guli\u00e8rement r\u00e9par\u00e9s et adapt\u00e9s par les musiciens et les facteurs.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n
\"Cornemuse<\/a>
Cornemuse de POUGET (1860 et 1895). <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Cornemuse<\/a>
Cornemuse \u00e0 bouche de CHARBONNIER, d\u00e9but XX\u00e8me. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Cornemuse<\/a>
Cornemuse de SAUTIVET, travail XIX\u00e8me, en bois et incrustation d’\u00e9tain. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Cornemuse<\/a>
Cornemuse de PAJOT JEUNE \u00e0 Jenzat, XIX\u00e8me. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Cornemuse<\/a>
Cornemuse dite “\u00e0 dents de scie” de Joseph BECHONNET faite \u00e0 Effiat vers 1850. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
Instruments mis en vente par Vichy Ench\u00e8res le 7 novembre 2026
\u00a9 Vichy Ench\u00e8res\/ Photo C. Darbelet<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Le renouveau de la cabrette<\/h1>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n
\"N\u00e9ris-Les-Bains,<\/a>
N\u00e9ris-Les-Bains, Allier, Un petit pas de bourr\u00e9e avant le d\u00e9part pour l’Apport de Villebret, photo ancienne<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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\"Cabrette<\/a>
Cabrette compl\u00e8te en La, par Albert et Marcel MARGINIER, faite vers 1970, Vichy Ench\u00e8res, 5 novembre 2022<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Marcel<\/a>
Marcel Marginier au centre jouant une cabrette \u00e0 t\u00eate de f\u00e9lin<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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L\u2019histoire de la cabrette ne s\u2019arr\u00eate pas avec les grands facteurs parisiens du XIX\u00e8me<\/sup> si\u00e8cle. Apr\u00e8s une p\u00e9riode de d\u00e9clin durant la premi\u00e8re moiti\u00e9 du XX\u00e8me<\/sup> si\u00e8cle, plusieurs musiciens entreprirent de relancer son apprentissage et sa fabrication.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dans les ann\u00e9es 1940 et 1950, les cabrettaires capables de transmettre leur savoir \u00e9taient devenus peu nombreux. Autour de Jacques Berthier, Georges Soule, Maurice Pradeyro ou encore Marcel Marginier se forma progressivement un groupe de passionn\u00e9s d\u00e9cid\u00e9 \u00e0 sauvegarder l\u2019instrument. Cette volont\u00e9 aboutit en 1956 \u00e0 la cr\u00e9ation de l\u2019association Cabrettes et Cabretta\u00efres, dont l\u2019un des objectifs \u00e9tait pr\u00e9cis\u00e9ment de former de nouveaux musiciens et de relancer la fabrication de cabrettes. L\u2019association installa son si\u00e8ge et son \u00e9cole de cabrette \u00e0 La Galoche d\u2019Aurillac, 41 rue de Lappe. Le choix du lieu n\u2019\u00e9tait pas anodin puisque, nous l\u2019avons vu, cette rue avait \u00e9t\u00e9, depuis la fin du XIX\u00e8me<\/sup> si\u00e8cle, l\u2019un des principaux lieux de rencontre des Auvergnats de Paris et de leurs cabrettaires<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

La rue de Lappe restait ainsi, plusieurs d\u00e9cennies plus tard, \u00e9troitement li\u00e9e \u00e0 l\u2019histoire de l\u2019instrument.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Les fr\u00e8res Marginier jou\u00e8rent un r\u00f4le important dans ce renouveau. \u00c0 partir de la fin des ann\u00e9es 1950, Marcel et Albert \u00e9tudi\u00e8rent de nombreux instruments anciens avant de produire leurs propres pieds. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Leurs recherches port\u00e8rent \u00e9galement sur la justesse et le doigt\u00e9 afin d\u2019adapter la cabrette aux nouveaux r\u00e9pertoires et notamment au jeu avec l\u2019accord\u00e9on chromatique. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ce renouveau de la cabrette s\u2019accompagna \u00e9galement d\u2019une reprise de sa fabrication en Auvergne. La vente du 7 novembre en t\u00e9moigne \u00e0 nouveau, avec une cabrette r\u00e9alis\u00e9e par Lucien Destannes \u00e0 Aurillac vers 1970. Particuli\u00e8rement soign\u00e9e, elle poss\u00e8de notamment un embout sculpt\u00e9 en forme de t\u00eate et porte la marque du facteur \u00e0 Aurillac.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

L\u2019instrument provient de la collection de Jean-Claude Veilhan<\/a>. Clarinettiste de formation, celui-ci s\u2019int\u00e9ressa d\u00e8s les ann\u00e9es 1970 aux instruments anciens, qu\u2019il \u00e9tudia et pratiqua dans le cadre de ses recherches sur les r\u00e9pertoires historiques. Sa collection t\u00e9moigne de cette curiosit\u00e9, r\u00e9unissant instruments anciens, copies et reconstitutions r\u00e9alis\u00e9es par des facteurs contemporains. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cette cabrette t\u00e9moigne ainsi du retour de sa fabrication en Auvergne au XX\u00e8me<\/sup> si\u00e8cle, apr\u00e8s un long d\u00e9veloppement \u00e0 Paris au sein de la communaut\u00e9 auvergnate, et accompagne le nouvel essor que conna\u00eet alors l\u2019instrument.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n
\"Cabrette<\/a>
Cabrette de Lucien DESTANNES, Aurillac vers 1970. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Cabrette<\/a>
Cabrette de Lucien DESTANNES, Aurillac vers 1970. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Cabrette<\/a>
Cabrette de Lucien DESTANNES, d\u00e9tail, Aurillac vers 1970. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Cabrette<\/a>
Cabrette de Lucien DESTANNES, Aurillac vers 1970. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Cabrette<\/a>
Cabrette de Lucien DESTANNES, d\u00e9tail, Aurillac vers 1970. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
Instrument mis en vente par Vichy Ench\u00e8res le 7 novembre 2026
\u00a9 Vichy Ench\u00e8res\/ Photo C. Darbelet<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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De Paris \u00e0 l\u2019Auvergne, la cabrette n\u2019a ainsi cess\u00e9 d\u2019\u00e9voluer au contact des musiciens et des facteurs. Les instruments r\u00e9unis dans cette vente t\u00e9moignent de cette histoire, mais aussi de la diversit\u00e9 et du savoir-faire des facteurs de cornemuses du Centre de la France aux XIX\u00e8me<\/sup> et XX\u00e8me<\/sup> si\u00e8cles. Toute l\u2019\u00e9quipe de Vichy Ench\u00e8res vous donne rendez-vous le samedi 7 novembre 2026 pour d\u00e9couvrir cet ensemble de cabrettes et de cornemuses et suivre la vente.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

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THE CABRETTE<\/em>: A STORY LINKING AUVERGNE AND PARIS<\/h1>\n\n\n\n
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<\/div>\n\n\n\n

The sale of wind and plucked string instruments on 7 November 2026 provides us with an opportunity to delve into the history of the<\/em> cabrette, an iconic instrument of the Auvergne region whose story is also closely intertwined with the Auvergnat community in Paris. The presence in the sale of examples bearing the names of Amadieu, Costeroste, Alias, Dufayet and Gasparoux is the opportunity to revisit the instrument’s history. These instruments will be sold alongside bagpipes by makers such as Charbonnier, Sautivet, B\u00e9chonnet, Pouget and Pajot Jeune, which bear witness to the great diversity of these instruments during the 19th century. Our understanding of the history of the<\/em> cabrette has been considerably enriched by research published in the 2017 book<\/em> La Cabrette. Histoire & technique d\u2019une cornemuse, edited by Andr\u00e9 Ricros in collaboration with \u00c9ric Montbel, and with contributions from Didier Perre, Bernard Blanc, Michel Chavannon and Marius Lutgerinck \u2013 a reference work upon which we have relied heavily for this article<\/em>.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n
By C\u00e9cile Alves-Convert, archivist at Vichy Ench\u00e8res<\/h6>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Catalog<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n
Sale on 6 November 2026<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n
Sale on 7 November 2026<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n
Contact<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n
Experts<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n
Version fran\u00e7aise<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n

The cabrette<\/em> and its origins<\/h1>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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The cabrette<\/em> belongs to the large family of bagpipes. It consists of a bag serving as an air reservoir, a chanter on which the musician plays the melody, and one or more drones. Air can be supplied to the bag directly via the mouth or by means of a bellows placed under the arm. While the latter system is today one of the instrument’s most distinctive features, mouth-blown cabrettes<\/em> were also used, and several such examples have survived to the present day [1]<\/sup><\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The sale on 7 November 2026, features a mouth-blown cabrette<\/em> that offers a fascinating insight into the instrument’s evolution. It serves as a reminder that before becoming almost inseparable from the bellows, the cabrette<\/em> could also be powered directly by the musician’s breath.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The instrument\u2019s name reflects its linguistic origins. Cabrette<\/em> comes from the Occitan cabreta<\/em>, meaning “small goat”. However, depending on the location and moment in time, terms such as chabra<\/em>, ch\u00e8vre<\/em> or even musette<\/em> were also used.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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[1]<\/sup><\/a> Andr\u00e9 Ricros et collaborateurs, La Cabrette. Histoire & technique d\u2019une cornemuse<\/em>, 2017, p. 28 et p. 74-81<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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The latter term was still in use in parts of the Massif Central area of France in the late 19th<\/sup> century, before cabrette<\/em> gradually became the standard name [1]<\/a><\/sup>. There is no doubt that bagpipe playing has had a long association with the Auvergne region.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, it is far more difficult to be certain that the instruments mentioned in ancient texts were identical to the cabrette<\/em> we know today. Since both the names and the forms of the instruments have evolved over time, it is important to distinguish between the older bagpipe tradition documented in Haute-Auvergne and the modern cabrette<\/em>, which emerged later [2]<\/sup><\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This distinction is significant because it sheds light on one of the most interesting facts about the cabrette<\/em>. Research by Andr\u00e9 Ricros and \u00c9ric Montbel reveals that the modern instrument was mostly developed in Paris during the 19th century, within the Auvergnat community that had settled in the capital.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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[1]<\/a> Didier Perre, \u201c\u00c9l\u00e9ments de vocabulaire\u201d, dans La Cabrette. Histoire & technique d\u2019une cornemuse<\/em>, 2017, p. 89-96<\/p>\n\n\n\n

[2]<\/a> Andr\u00e9 Ricros, \u201cUne tradition de cornemuse en Haute-Auvergne\u201d, dans La Cabrette. Histoire & technique d\u2019une cornemuse<\/em>, 2017, p. 23-81<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n
\"Jean-Pierre<\/a>
Jean-Pierre Privat et Joseph Villaret jouant de la cabrette \u00e0 bouche en Aubrac, avant 1905. cr\u00e9dits photos Marcel Privat.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Cabrette<\/a>
Cabrette \u00e0 bouche, anonyme, XIX\u00e8me.
Instrument mis en vente par Vichy Ench\u00e8res le 7 novembre 2026
\u00a9 Vichy Ench\u00e8res<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n

The cabrette<\/em> and the Auvergnats of Paris<\/h1>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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\"Le<\/a>
Le Balajo, rue de Lappe, Paris, 1936<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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In the 19th<\/sup> century, many inhabitants of the Massif Central left their region for Paris to find work there. They gradually formed a significant community, gathering in the capital\u2019s many Auvergnat caf\u00e9s and dance halls, particularly on rue de Lappe, home to thriving establishments such as the Bal Bouscatel, Bal Chambon, and later the famous Balajo \u2013 where people danced and played the cabrette<\/em>. Yet Paris was not merely a place where Auvergnats continued to play an instrument brought from their homeland. The capital also became a place of transformation. In Paris, the cabrette<\/em> evolved through its interaction with musicians and craftsmen. Wood turners, ivory and horn workers, bellows makers and instrument makers gradually refined the instrument to better suit the needs of cabrette<\/em> players[1]<\/sup><\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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[1]<\/sup><\/a> Andr\u00e9 Ricros et \u00c9ric Montbel, La Cabrette. Histoire & technique d\u2019une cornemuse<\/em>, 2017, p. 315-367<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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From the second half of the 19th century, cabrette<\/em> players held a prominent place within Paris\u2019s Auvergnat community. They provided the music for the capital\u2019s many Auvergnat dance halls, which would gradually evolve into the famous Parisian bals musette<\/em>. Antonin Bouscatel, one of the most renowned cabrette<\/em> players in Paris hailing from the Cantal department of France, was a leading figure of this era[1]<\/sup><\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This Parisian history goes some way towards explaining the evolution of the cabrette<\/em>. In the hands of musicians performing new repertoires, the instrument was gradually transformed, and the bellows-blown cabrette<\/em> eventually became the dominant type. However, the mouth-blown cabrette<\/em> did not disappear entirely, as evidenced by two instruments in the sale made by Alias \u200b\u200band Costeroste \u2013 both of whom were based in Paris.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These two instruments thus bear witness to the coexistence of mouth-blown and bellows-blown cabrettes<\/em> during the 19th<\/sup> century.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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[1]<\/sup><\/a> Andr\u00e9 Ricros, avec la collaboration d\u2019\u00c9ric Montbel, Bouscatel. Le roman d\u2019un cabreta\u00efre<\/em>, 2012<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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\"Cabrette<\/a>
Cabrette \u00e0 bouche d’ALIAS \u00e0 Paris, vers 1900<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Cabrette<\/a>
Cabrette \u00e0 bouche de COSTEROSTE \u00e0 Paris, milieu XIX\u00e8me<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
Instruments mis en vente par Vichy Ench\u00e8res le 7 novembre 2026 \/ \u00a9 Vichy Ench\u00e8res\/ Photo C. Darbelet<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Pez\u00e9, Amadieu and the beginnings of a Parisian school of making<\/h1>\n\n\n\n
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<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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\"Le<\/a>
Le joueur de musette, gravure, XVIIIe si\u00e8cle, Metropolitan Museum of New York<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Pied<\/a>
Pied de cabrette Beno\u00eet AMADIEU (1804-1877) \u00e0 Paris.
Instrument mis en vente par Vichy Ench\u00e8res le 7 novembre 2026
\u00a9 Vichy Ench\u00e8res\/ Photo C. Darbelet<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Claude<\/a>
Claude Vignon, Portrait de Fran\u00e7ois Langlois jouant de la sourdeline, vers 1621-1624, huile sur toile, Davis Museum at Wellesley College, Wellesley<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Rare<\/a>
Rare Cabrette \u00e0 bouche (37,5 cm) par Peze (facteur \u00e0 Paris)
Instrument mis en vente par Vichy Ench\u00e8res le 7 novembre 2026
\u00a9 Vichy Ench\u00e8res\/ Photo C. Darbelet<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Who actually invented the modern cabrette<\/em>? It is an age-old question, and one that is still difficult to answer with certainty. The maker Pez\u00e9 is among the earliest possible candidates. Several instruments bearing his brand are known today, and Andr\u00e9 Ricros put forward the theory that he may have been one of the first makers to work for the Auvergnats settled in Paris. However, there aren\u2019t any extant documents allowing us to attribute with certainty the invention of the cabrette<\/em> to him. He might simply have refined an existing instrument or worked at the request of musicians[1]<\/sup><\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Beno\u00eet Amadieu is equally important in this story. Research into historical documents in Paris reveal that he was a bellows maker (souffletier<\/em>), and several cabrettes<\/em> bearing his name have survived to this day. Nevertheless, the date from which he actually began manufacturing these instruments and the exact role he played in their evolution remain difficult to determine[2]<\/sup><\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The cabrette<\/em> chanter by Amadieu included in the 7 November sale bears witness to this Parisian activity. It is made of boxwood and adorned with ivory rings, bears his name and the address “rue de l\u2019Estrapade \u00e0 Paris”, and features a 37cm chanter. During his career, Amadieu was associated with several Parisian addresses, in particular rue de Lappe \u2013 one of the main meeting places for the Auvergnats of Paris and cabrette<\/em> players.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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[1]<\/sup><\/a> Andr\u00e9 Ricros, La Cabrette. Histoire & technique d\u2019une cornemuse<\/em>, 2017, p. 315-331<\/p>\n\n\n\n

[2]<\/sup><\/a> Andr\u00e9 Ricros, La Cabrette. Histoire & technique d\u2019une cornemuse<\/em>, 2017, p. 389-400<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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It is worth noting, however, that the use of bellows on bagpipes predates the modern cabrette<\/em> by a considerable amount of time. Between 1621 and 1624, Claude Vignon depicted Fran\u00e7ois Langlois playing a sourdeline<\/em>, a bellows-blown bagpipe featuring three ebony chanters. This depiction demonstrates that the principle of the bellows was already known in France in the early 17th <\/sup>century[1]<\/sup><\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00c9ric Montbel has drawn parallels between this instrument and the musette de cour<\/em>, a bellows-operated bagpipe that was highly fashionable during the 17th<\/sup> and 18th<\/sup> centuries. Certain construction principles may well have been adopted and adapted to the needs of cabrette<\/em> players during the 19th<\/sup> century, and Amadieu may have played a role in this evolution. However, this lineage remains purely hypothetical[2]<\/sup><\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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[1]<\/sup><\/a> Florence G\u00e9treau, \u201cQuelques cabinets d\u2019instruments en France au temps des rois Bourbons\u201d, Musique \u2022 Images \u2022 Instruments<\/em>, n\u00b0 8, 2006, p. 25-44<\/p>\n\n\n\n

[2]<\/sup><\/a>  \u00c9ric Montbel dans La Cabrette. Histoire & technique d\u2019une cornemuse<\/em>, 2017, p. 341-367<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Costeroste and Alias<\/h1>\n\n\n\n
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\"Photographie<\/a><\/figure>\n
Photographie d\u2019une famille de bougnat devant un caf\u00e9-charbon parisien, d\u00e9but XXe si\u00e8cle<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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The manufacture of the cabrette<\/em> is better documented in the second half of the 19th<\/sup> century, a period when several Paris-based makers achieved great renown among cabrette<\/em> players.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Joseph Costeroste was a leading figure in the field. Born in Cantal in 1850, he settled in Paris at an early age, working as both a musician and a cabrette<\/em> maker. His instruments were generally made from boxwood or ebony and often featured ivory rings. Costeroste produced cabrettes<\/em> with various drone configurations, thereby contributing to the instrument’s evolution during the latter half of the 19th<\/sup> century[1]<\/sup><\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The mouth-blown Costeroste cabrette<\/em> mentioned earlier, and included in the sale, is of particular interest, as it retains both its bag and its blowpipe. It is also accompanied by a method book and a handwritten explanatory letter \u2013 these are rare and valuable documents for understanding how the instrument was learned and played.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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[1]<\/sup><\/a> Andr\u00e9 Ricros, La Cabrette. Histoire & technique d\u2019une cornemuse<\/em>, 2017, p. 433-443<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Auguste Alias \u200b\u200bis another major figure in cabrette<\/em> making, who belongs to the following generation of makers. Born in 1865 in Rieupeyroux in the Aveyron department, he too settled in Paris, where he worked as a maker and cabrette<\/em> player. His instruments reflect the experimentations of the period, which aimed to expand the cabrette<\/em>\u2019s playing capabilities, resulting in examples fitted with keys to produce additional notes[1]<\/sup><\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Two items in the sale on 7 November demonstrate the quality of the instruments made by Alias. The first is a mouth-blown cabrette<\/em> made of stained boxwood, featuring ivory rings and retaining its original bag. Its chanter measures 38cm. The second, made around 1900, is a 37cm ebony chanter, also adorned with ivory rings. The choice of these materials denotes the level of care and refinement with which Alias made hist instruments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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[1]<\/sup><\/a> Andr\u00e9 Ricros, La Cabrette. Histoire & technique d\u2019une cornemuse<\/em>, 2017, p. 376-387<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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\"Cabrette<\/a>
Cabrette \u00e0 bouche de COSTEROSTE \u00e0 Paris, milieu XIX\u00e8me. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Hautbois<\/a>
Hautbois de cabrette d’ALIAS \u00e0 Paris, fait vers 1900. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Cabrette<\/a>
Cabrette \u00e0 bouche d’ALIAS \u00e0 Paris, vers 1900. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
Instruments mis en vente par Vichy Ench\u00e8res le 7 novembre 2026
\u00a9 Vichy Ench\u00e8res\/ Photo C. Darbelet<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Dufayet and Gasparoux<\/h1>\n\n\n\n
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Cabrette<\/em> making continued in Paris during the late 19th<\/sup> and early 20th<\/sup> centuries, with makers such as Antoine Dufayet. Born in 1879 in Cantal, he settled in Paris, where he worked as both a musician and a cabrette<\/em> maker. He was a skilled woodturner who made and decorated his instruments himself. Cabrette<\/em> player Claude S\u00e9guret \u2013 who published a study on the instrument in the late 1970s \u2013 indicated that Dufayet was able to produce facsimile brand stamps from earlier makers such as Amadieu and Costeroste, which can make attributing certain cabrettes<\/em> difficult today[1]<\/sup><\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Two chanters by Dufayet, made from two different types of wood, are included in the sale, offering a glimpse into his fine craftsmanship.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Also hailing from Cantal, Jean-\u00c9lie Gasparoux (1869 \u2013 1953) settled in Paris, where he manufactured cabrettes<\/em> during the late 19th<\/sup> and early 20th<\/sup> centuries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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[1]<\/sup><\/a> Claude S\u00e9guret, \u201cLa cabrette\u201d, Revue de la Solidarit\u00e9<\/em>, 1977-1978<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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The instruments made by him that have survived demonstrate exceptional craftsmanship, and were made from fine materials such as grenadilla wood and ivory. Some of his chanters are also distinguished by the rounded shape of their turning[1]<\/sup><\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The sale on 7 November includes a child\u2019s cabrette<\/em> by Gasparoux, which is a particularly interesting example as instruments of such small size are rare.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Made of grenadilla wood and adorned with ivory rings, it comes complete with its original bag and bellows. Its chanter measures just 32cm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Learning to play the cabrette<\/em> once relied heavily on oral transmission between musicians, often within the Auvergnat community. This small cabrette<\/em> therefore attests to the existence of instruments made specifically for younger players, and stands as a rare tangible testament of their learning process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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[1]<\/sup><\/a> Andr\u00e9 Ricros, La Cabrette. Histoire & technique d\u2019une cornemuse<\/em>, 2017, p. 464-468<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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\"Pied<\/a>
Pied de cabrette de DUFAYET \u00e0 Paris, XIXeme. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Cabrette<\/a>
Cabrette pour enfant de GASPAROUX, fin XIX\u00e8me.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Pied<\/a>
Pied de cabrette de DUFAYET \u00e0 Paris. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
Instruments mis en vente par Vichy Ench\u00e8res le 7 novembre 2026
\u00a9 Vichy Ench\u00e8res\/ Photo C. Darbelet<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Beyond the cabrette<\/em><\/h1>\n\n\n\n
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\"Ch\u00e2teau<\/a>
Ch\u00e2teau d’Effiat, environs d’Aigueperse, ancienne carte postale, Edition H. B\u00e9rillon<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Jenzat,<\/a>
Jenzat, Belles \u00e9l\u00e9gantes pr\u00e8s du Pont sur la Sioule 1904<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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The sale of 7 November also provides an opportunity to discover other bagpipes from central France that differ significantly from the cabrette<\/em>. Their shapes, dimensions and drone configuration reflect the great diversity of instruments in use at the time. Indeed, \u00c9ric Montbel has demonstrated just how difficult it is to categorize them into strictly defined regional models[1]<\/sup><\/a>. Among the examples presented in Vichy are a mouth-blown bagpipe by Charbonnier and another by Sautivet, the latter being notable for its decorative pewter inlay.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Within this group of instruments, the work of Joseph B\u00e9chonnet holds a special place. B\u00e9chonnet, who was based in Effiat, in the Puy-de-D\u00f4me department, was one of the most important bagpipe makers in central France during the 19th century. His name is associated with large bagpipes whose construction and decoration differ significantly from those of the cabrette<\/em>. The example presented in Vichy, which dates from around 1850, is a fine example of these, featuring a stock adorned with a rosette and an unusual “saw-tooth” decoration, made up of a series of small triangular motifs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bagpipe making was also well established in the Berry and Bourbonnais provinces. In Ardentes, in the Indre department, the Pouget workshop produced instruments as early as the 19th century, while Jenzat, in the Allier department, became a major centre for instrument making, where several generations of makers produced hurdy-gurdies and bagpipes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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[1]<\/sup><\/a> \u00c9ric Montbel, \u201cLes cornemuses du Massif Central. Autour de la cabrette\u201c, dans La Cabrette. Histoire & technique d\u2019une cornemuse<\/em>, 2017, p. 105<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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\"Jean-Baptiste<\/a>
Jean-Baptiste PAJOT \u00e0 Jenzat<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Joseph<\/a>
Joseph B\u00e9chonnet<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Among them was Jacques-Antoine Pajot, known as Pajot Jeune, who was born in Jenzat in 1847 and set up on his own in 1875. His workshop was part of a long family tradition that made Jenzat a major centre for the manufacture of traditional instruments. The bagpipe presented in Vichy bears his brand, but it is nowadays fitted with a chanter made by Charbonnier. This set-up reflects the life journey of these instruments, which were frequently repaired and modified by both musicians and makers.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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\"Cornemuse<\/a>
Cornemuse de POUGET (1860 et 1895). <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Cornemuse<\/a>
Cornemuse \u00e0 bouche de CHARBONNIER, d\u00e9but XX\u00e8me. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Cornemuse<\/a>
Cornemuse de SAUTIVET, travail XIX\u00e8me, en bois et incrustation d’\u00e9tain. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Cornemuse<\/a>
Cornemuse de PAJOT JEUNE \u00e0 Jenzat, XIX\u00e8me. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Cornemuse<\/a>
Cornemuse dite “\u00e0 dents de scie” de Joseph BECHONNET faite \u00e0 Effiat vers 1850. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
Instruments mis en vente par Vichy Ench\u00e8res le 7 novembre 2026
\u00a9 Vichy Ench\u00e8res\/ Photo C. Darbelet<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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The revival of the cabrette<\/em><\/h1>\n\n\n\n
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\"N\u00e9ris-Les-Bains,<\/a>
N\u00e9ris-Les-Bains, Allier, Un petit pas de bourr\u00e9e avant le d\u00e9part pour l’Apport de Villebret, photo ancienne<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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\"Cabrette<\/a>
Cabrette compl\u00e8te en La, par Albert et Marcel MARGINIER, faite vers 1970, Vichy Ench\u00e8res, 5 novembre 2022<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Marcel<\/a>
Marcel Marginier au centre jouant une cabrette \u00e0 t\u00eate de f\u00e9lin<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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The story of the cabrette<\/em> does not end with the great Parisian makers of the 19th<\/sup> century. After a period of decline during the first half of the 20th<\/sup> century, several musicians set out to revive the learning and making of the instrument.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

By the 1940s and 1950s, few cabrette<\/em> players remained who could pass on their knowledge. A group of enthusiasts, including Jacques Berthier, Georges Soule, Maurice Pradeyro and Marcel Marginier, gradually formed with the aim of rescuing the instrument. This initiative led to the creation in 1956 of the Cabrettes et Cabretta\u00efres<\/em> association, with the aim, in particular, of training new musicians and revive the manufacture of the cabrette<\/em>. The association established its headquarters and cabrette<\/em> school at La Galoche d\u2019Aurillac at 41 rue de Lappe. The choice of location was significant since, as previously noted, this street had been a primary place of gathering for the Auvergnat community in Paris and their cabrette players<\/a> since the late 19th<\/sup> century.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Therefore, even decades later, rue de Lappe remained closely associated with the instrument’s history.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Marginier brothers played a key role in this revival. Starting in the late 1950s, Marcel and Albert studied several antique instruments before producing their own chanters.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Their research also focused on pitch accuracy and fingering, in order to adapt the cabrette<\/em> to new repertoires, in particular for playing alongside the chromatic accordion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This revival of the cabrette<\/em> was also accompanied by a resumption of its manufacture in Auvergne. The sale on 7 November bears witness to this once again, with a cabrette<\/em> made by Lucien Destannes in Aurillac around 1970. It is a particularly fine example, which features a carved head-shaped mouthpiece and bears the brand of the maker from Aurillac.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This instrument comes from the collection of Jean-Claude Veilhan<\/a>. He was a trained clarinettist who became interested in period instruments as early as the 1970s, studying and playing them as part of his research into historical repertoires. His collection reflects this interest, and brings together period instruments and reproductions made by contemporary makers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This cabrette<\/em> thus bears witness to the revival of its manufacture in Auvergne during the 20th century, following a long period of development in Paris within the Auvergnat community, and reflects the instrument’s renewed popularity at the time.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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\"Cabrette<\/a>
Cabrette de Lucien DESTANNES, Aurillac vers 1970. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Cabrette<\/a>
Cabrette de Lucien DESTANNES, Aurillac vers 1970. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Cabrette<\/a>
Cabrette de Lucien DESTANNES, d\u00e9tail, Aurillac vers 1970. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Cabrette<\/a>
Cabrette de Lucien DESTANNES, Aurillac vers 1970. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Cabrette<\/a>
Cabrette de Lucien DESTANNES, d\u00e9tail, Aurillac vers 1970. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
Instrument mis en vente par Vichy Ench\u00e8res le 7 novembre 2026
\u00a9 Vichy Ench\u00e8res\/ Photo C. Darbelet<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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From Paris to Auvergne, the<\/em> cabrette has constantly evolved through its interaction with musicians and makers. The instruments brought together by this sale tell this story, while also showcasing the diversity and craftsmanship of bagpipe makers from central France during the 19th<\/sup> and 20th<\/sup> centuries. The entire Vichy Ench\u00e8res team invites you to join them on Saturday 7 November 2026 to discover this collection of<\/em> cabrettes and bagpipes, and follow the sale<\/em>.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

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\ud83d\ude80 Suivez-nous !<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n