Archives of Jean Tournay

A major resource for research on historical keyboard instruments

The MIM has recently significantly enriched its archives through the donation of the professional archives of Jean Tournay (1940–2015), a harpsichord and clavichord maker, independent researcher, and collaborator of the museum during the 1980s.

This acquisition is of particular importance for the MIM’s scientific research. For many years, Jean Tournay devoted himself to the study of historical keyboard instruments, developing an in-depth understanding not only of the museum’s collections but also of numerous private holdings. His work led, among other achievements, to the publication of Archives Dulcken by the MIM in 1987, as well as several key reference articles on historical harpsichords.

Since his passing, the whereabouts of his archives had remained uncertain. Thanks to research conducted by Pascale Vandervellen, curator at the MIM, they were eventually located in Tournay’s former workshop in Noville-les-Bois. The space, preserved almost intact for several years, contained an exceptional documentary collection whose preservation had become urgent due to the planned sale of the property.

The collection, donated to the museum by Mrs Etsuko Kobori and the Kaszer family, comprises around fifteen binders of handwritten and typed notes on harpsichords and clavichords from the MIM and other collections, a substantial set of photographs and negatives, several hundred moulding impressions, more than a hundred instrument plans, as well as extensive professional correspondence with museums, instrument makers, musicians, and specialised suppliers.

Among the most remarkable discoveries is a long-term, unfinished catalogue project of the MIM’s harpsichords, developed over many years of research. Today, these materials represent an invaluable resource for the study of the museum’s collections, as well as for the history of instrument making and restoration practices throughout the twentieth century.

The archive also includes two crates containing unfinished harpsichord cases, based on iconic instruments preserved at the MIM: the 1755 Dulcken harpsichord (inv. 1608) and the 1751 Delin clavicytherium (inv. 0354). These objects provide tangible evidence of the maker’s craft and open new perspectives for interpretation, education, and research into historical instrument-building techniques.

In the coming months, the museum’s teams will inventory and study this important body of material. The creation of a Jean Tournay Collection will ensure that this exceptional scientific heritage is preserved, organised, and made accessible to researchers, students, and all those interested in the history of musical instruments.

Through this donation, the MIM further confirms its role as a leading centre for research and conservation in the field of historical musical instruments, while ensuring the transmission of invaluable knowledge to future generations.