[1] Over the course of its lifetime this shop became a leading international centre for rare string instruments and was patronized by many of the preeminent names in the concert world.
According to his wife (Beatrice), Mr. Francais then came to New York to apprentice with Rembert Wurlitzer, who ran the most complete violin restoration shop in the country under the guidance of Simone Fernando Sacconi.
[5] In 1948 Mr. Francais came to New York on a one-way ticket with a bunch of instruments and fine etchings, to sell on consignment, and $50 to his name, and rejoined the Wurlitzer firm for a brief period.
Having spent time under the tutelage of Master Simone Fernando Sacconi, his skills in expertise, violin making and restoration grew to new heights.
He put together a formidable team inviting his friend and colleague Renè Morel (a Master Restorer), and young apprentices he hired have become the leading makers of our time: makers/restorers such as Samuel Zygmuntowicz, Horacio Piñeiro, Boris Sverdlik, David T. Van Zandt, James N. McKean, Jerry Pasewicz, Christophe Landon, Jonathan Woolston (UK) and Richard Oppelt to name a few.
Jacques Français shop became a prominent international centre for rare string instruments and was patronized by many of the preeminent names in the concert world such as Isaac Stern, Yehudi Menuhin, Pablo Casals, Nathan Milstein, David Oistrakh, Erick Friedman, Itzhak Perlman, Michael Rabin, Pinchas Zukerman to name a few."
The shop remained open during the German occupation of Paris in World War II and closed in 1981 after the death of Lucile Caressa Français.