Update:
I finally got round to doing the bridge mods which work fine, allowing lower action and more downforce over the saddles; and at the other end a black friction free nut and a new zero fret. All these had to be hand modified as the Artiste (!) only measures 40mm across the neck at the nut as opposed to 43mm for most stuff. A fret dress and polish followed (all this done this morning) and she now plays really well with a more "solid" tone without rattles and "sitaring" over the zero fret...
As the following pic shows, the bridge base is a U shaped channel with slots to accept the saddles. I have slotted the back of the U so that the strings don't touch it, then removed the rear of the saddle too. These mods allow the saddles to sit lower in the front of the U, and an increase in downforce via a lowered string guide also shown...
By no means a low action but certainly playable. I resisted the temptation to refret as the last time I saw someone attempt that, they discovered that the Burns woodworkers had cut through the rosewood at every fret, just leaving unconnected rosewood blocks... I'm leaving well alone.
What an awesome noise it makes! You should hear Night of The Vampire!