Maugein’s recent bankruptcy, on Friday, September 27, marks the end of an era for France’s last artisanal accordion manufacturer, reflecting the struggles of traditional craftsmanship against global competition.
Maugein, the oldest French accordion manufacturer, founded in 1919 in Tulle, Corrèze, has been placed into judicial liquidation by the commercial court of Brive. Facing increasing competition from Chinese manufacturers, the company could not survive, according to statements from its leader.
Richard Brandao, 57, who took over the company in 2013 with the help of investors including international footballer Laurent Koscielny, a native of Tulle, stated in a phone call with AFP, “We’re closing.” He explained that while the business had begun to recover before 2019, the COVID-19 pandemic hastened its decline: “Since COVID, it’s over. We were on the upswing until 2019, but COVID made us plunge.”
Recognized as a “Living Heritage Company” in 2007, Maugein employed ten workers at the time of its closure, including some long-term employees, one of whom had been with the company for 39 years. It was the last artisanal accordion manufacturer in France, in a market largely dominated by Chinese producers.
Brandao also shared that the company’s only real chance of survival lay in breaking into the Chinese market, where the accordion is gaining popularity. Despite Maugein’s efforts, including participation in the International Music Instrument Fair in China, the company could not penetrate this market, as detailed in an interview with the regional newspaper La Montagne.
In a final effort, Maugein diversified its offerings by launching harmonica sales two years ago, but this too proved unsuccessful. Ironically, the company’s closure comes just six months after the inauguration of the Cité de l’accordéon et des patrimoines de Tulle, an event attended by prominent figures including Culture Minister Rachida Dati and former President François Hollande.
The accordion has a significant place in French musical history, closely tied to popular culture and some of its most vibrant traditions. Emerging in France in the 19th century, this instrument is often associated with dance and played a pivotal role in the golden age of bal musette, a form of popular entertainment that originated in the Parisian suburbs.
It has thus become the emblematic instrument of this musical genre, with generations of musicians using it to make crowds dance at balls and village festivals, deeply embedding it in the collective imagination. The accordion is also inseparable from French chanson, accompanying iconic voices such as Édith Piaf, Charles Trenet and Yves Montand.
With AFP
