[1] As an adolescent, Deconet joined military service thinking it would provide him an opportunity to travel and satisfy his curiosity of the world.
In 1732, at the age of 19, he worked his way from Paris to Venice as that of a traveling musician,[3] stopping in villages throughout the French and Italian countryside.
I have met frequently with him since his widowhood and I know he has not other marriage obligations or promises.”[2] Soon after the wedding, the couple moved to San Zeminian to an apartment.
Deconet most likely took previously bought violins with him on his travels and resold them at fairs and markets, where he would play and showcase his talent.
[3] This theory could explain the varying labels, some handwritten, that he or his buyers would place upon the instruments to remember its origins and garner publicity.
Limited instruments with his label between 1750 and 1760 reveal a probable privileged source of violins from some Venetian maker who was interested in profit.
His instruments have features that are typical of Venetian violin makers of the time, such as Pietro Guarnieri and Giorgio Serafin.