Elophe Poirson is certainly one of the most mysterious and debated French violin makers. His prime occupation was as a telegraph operator, but toward the end of that career, he became fascinated with violin making. Even though some have considered him an amateur maker, his instruments went well beyond that. In fact he won many awards for his instruments and his work was praised by a number of respected musicians. His violin making career spanned the years 1870-1918 and has been estimated to have made around 300 instruments.