Mahillon, Victoire-Charles

(1841-1924)

   Victoire-Charles Mahillon belonged to a family of musical instrument makers, the firm of Mahillon having been founded by his father in 1836. Born in Brussels on 10 March 1841, Mahillon helped manage the business after 1865. While working there he published writings on music, including Eléments d'acoustique musicale (Elements of acoustical music [1874]), and, together with his brother Jean-Joseph, he began to collect historic and exotic musical instruments. He also reproduced historical instruments. Following establishment of the Musée instrumental du Conservatoire royal de Musique de Bruxelles in 1877 Mahillon was named conservator. Under his direction, a collection was assembled of over 3,500 instruments from sources worldwide, which acquired an international renown. Between 1880 and 1927 he published five volumes of the museum's catalog. Mahillon died on 17 June 1924 at Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat, France.