Bernardel, Leon was born in Paris in 1853, son and pupil of Ernest Auguste. He worked Derazey and with Gand. One example weighs 64 g and is stamped 'LEON BERNARDEL. PARIS' on the shaft. Bernardel, Gustave shop brand often bows by C. Thomassin

Malo, François  Contemporary French-Canadian bow maker who trained with William Salchow and Stéphane Thomachot. A Cellist by training, François Malo cites his curiosity as a musician as the reason for his entry into the world of bow making. After studying for a year in Québec with the Strasbourg bow maker Yves Matter, he decided to broaden his knowledge in France. Finding a teacher in the closed community of bow makers is no mean feat. However, with his bows tucked resolutely under his arm, François Malo managed to convince more than one master bow maker to accept him as an apprentice. He obtained three Canada Council grants which enabled him to study with Gilles Duhaut in Mirecourt (the French capital of stringed-instrument making), William Salchow in New York, and the renowned Stéphane Thomachot in Paris. His clients include musicians from major Canadian and American orchestras, in Toronto, Montreal, Winnipeg, New York, Philadelphia and Cleveland, to name but a few. He is one of the judges at the Violin Society of America Competitions. He lives in Quebec, Canada. Bows branded F. Malo à Montreal

Martin, Jean Joseph , had served a typical Mirecourt apprenticeship and then perfected his technique in Paris at the Vuillaume shop before returning to Mirecourt in 1863 to start up his own firm. One bow is dated 1880 according to a Raffin certificate

Millant, Jean-Jacques  ( b 1928-1998 ) son of violin maker Roger was apprenticed in Mirecourt. His bows are of the Peccatte school. His cousin, Bernard ( b 1929 ) produced bows similar in style. Over the last quarter of the 20^th century, the most important bow-maker was probably Jean-Jacques Millant who made excellent playing bows following the Peccatte pattern more or less faithfully. JJ Millant bows function much as good facsimile Peccatte bows... some are quite stiff. The combination of choice of materials, weight, strength, and flexibility make them excellent playing tools, and bows by this maker are becoming increasingly desirable in the market today. R. & M. Millant silver/ebony France c. 1935 64.0 g $5,500.00 in 2005 in USA. One of the best early 20th Century French Bow makers. He was still living in 1992, and his Gold mounted bows were only made during his last years as a maker (or from the 60s until he stopped working in the 80s). Aside from producing bows in a variety of mounts (S/E, G/E, G/T, G/I) JJ Millant, also produced a number of his own patented design bows, with that unusual frog (in variety of mounts). Due to lack of demand, he abandoned the idea. Towards the end of his life he produced bows mainly gold ebony mounted. G/T is more rare. Gold / Tortoise shell are limited editions. His top bows go for $15k+. Millant's talent was celebrated in 1970, when he was awarded the title 'Un de Meilleurs Ouvriers de France'. After this award he became a member of the Jury of the same competition.

Millant, Bernard (b.1929 -) Son of Max Millant. The great-grandfather of Bernard was the cousin of Eugène Sartory. Maker, Collector and Co-author, with Raffin of "L'Archet Français". Made 1st violin aged 13, then went to Mirecourt at 17, then spent a year in the workshop of the Morizot brothers. In 1951 started his own workshop in Rue de Rome 56, where he remained ever since. Liked to copy Dominique Peccatte model.

Moinel, René Joseph  (F-1889 / 1932). A. Born and died in Mirecourt. René worked for Cuniot-Hury (1906).

Moinel-Cherpitel A French Violin shop producing bows and instruments at the turn of the century. Some bows stamped Moinel Cherpitel have been attributed to Bazin.

Morizot, Louis (Père) Great French bow maker (1874-1957). He worked in Mirecourt in France. Louis Morizot worked with Cuniot Hury, CN Bazin, and then Eugene Sartory before returning to Mirecourt to open his own atelier. He won the Grand Prix in 1924, and then a gold medal three years later. It became a family dynasty, with his five sons taking over the shop in 1937. An example Louis Morizot silver/ebony, France made c. 1935 weight 58.5g $3250 USA/2005 prices. Louis Morizot: "Atelier at Mirecourt, 1925. Assisted by five sons. Presented magnificent handmade bows. Admired by artists, connoisseurs, and amateurs. Made of rich material and very artistically mounted. A maker who has consecrated his activities to the highest artistry. Obtained highest award at the Exposition Artisanale, Paris, 1927." (Universal Dictionary of Violin and Bow Makers) Valued at £3,300 GBP in 2007. His bows are similar in standard to Louis Bazin, but on the whole inferior to those of CN Bazin. Orange brown in colour.

Müller, Stephane studied with Bernard Ouchard at Mirecourt and after travelling in Brazil to improve his knowledge of Pernambuco he established a workshop in Toulouse, France in 1984. Prizes: bronze (viola) Paris 1999.

Nehr, Gilles Contemporary French Bow maker. Homepage Giles apprenticed with his Cousin, Jean Pascal for 3 years in Marseille. He then worked in Toulouse at the Stephane Müller workshop, and after two years was invited to Rene Morel's shop New York City as sole bow maker in residence.  In 1999 he opened his own workshop in Manhattan, but 3 years later returned to Europe, settling in Lisbon, and from 2004 in Rome where he lives today. Gilles Nehr won a Certificate of Merit in BVMA London 2004.

Nehr, Jean Pascal (gold & tortoise) ‘Meilleur Ouvrier de France’, studied with Bernard Ouchard at Mirecourt and now works in Marseille, France. Prizes: Certificate of merit for workmanship Manchester 2001.

Ouchard, Emile August ( b. Mirecourt, Vosges 1900 - Gan, 1969 ) was son and pupil of Emile François Ouchard. Worked in Paris, Chicago and New York. Worked in Paris from 1940-46. He was awarded several gold medals for bow making. His bows are similar to those of the Voirin-Lamy school, and are said to use the fortified Voirin model. Therefore the heads are typically rounded and bell-shaped. His son, Bernard, ( b.1925 ) became his pupil, and worked with Vidoudez in Geneva before being appointed professor of bow making at the Mirecourt school in 1971. In a London shop in 2004 a violin bow by Emile Auguste Ouchard, Paris, c1940. Round stick, mounted with silver and ebony has Price £7,500. In 2007 London price is £10,000. Following Sartory, E. A. Ouchard produced an even heavier and stiffer type of bow. Frogs are rounded and often with Parisian eye. There are some Ouchard bows that perform beautifully as tools, but some of them are just too stiff to be considered optimal as playing tools. Produced many bows which are stamped with different firm brands, such as, George Cone and Sons, Lyon and Boulengeot.

Ouchard, Emile Francois ( 1872 - 1951 ) Great French bow maker and Father of the more prestigious Emile August (EA.Ouchard). Studied with Eugene Cuniot-Hury (of Cuniot-Hury) at the age of 14, and succeeded his business setting up his own shop in Mirecourt in 1923. Also know as simply Francois Ouchard  (1872-1951). An example violin bow is from circa 1940 with a Raffin certificate. Emile François Ouchard, stamped Pillot a Paris. Silver mounted and with a hard straight Pernambuco stick of good colour. Condition is excellent. Circa 1900.

Ouchard, Bernard ( - 1981) [S11/330] Silver Violin Bow: Probably Geneva, c. 1970 priced at 2,430-3,240 $ in 2004 - Responsible for the great comeback of the French Bow making school ; in 1971 he returned to Mirecourt where he founded a new school of bow makers, training Raffin, Stephane Thomachot & possibly the Belgian Edwin Clement, and subsequently indirectly inspired the newest generation of award winning makers including S. Bigot, Gilles Nehr and  Yannick LeCanu.

Pajeot, Etienne ( 1791 - 1849 ) His father, Louis Simon ( c.1750 - 1792 ), was also a bow maker. Pajeot was a student, then a business partner of Nicolas Maire. Produced excellent but rare bows. He was one of two bow makers who used metal thumb facing on the frog. His stamped bows are valued at the highest prices at around £30k GBP or higher in 2007. Pajeot's bows, while strong, possess a little more "give" on the strings, producing a very warm sound.

Peccatte, Dominique ( 1810 - 1874 ) Apprenticed to a violin maker in Mirecourt, he soon worked in the workshop of J.B.Vuillaume, from 1826 - 1837. Here he studied with Persois, and also met Tourte. Like Voirin his early bows were sometimes stamped with the name of Vuillaume. By 1837 he had taken over the workshop of Lupot. He returned to Mirecourt in 1847. He seldom used a stamp mark, making his bows hard to distinguish. His bows are considered second only to those of Tourte. His brother, François ( 1820 - 1855 ) was also a good bow maker who worked in Mirecourt. Dominique Peccatte, (who is presumed to have learned his craft with Persoit, and apparently worked in the Lupot atelier as well, before a stint in the Vuillaume workshop) continued the trend with a bow patterned after Tourte’s strongest, heaviest model. The Peccatte concept for a bow was generally heavier than anything before him in France, and his output was vast and consistent. If not as flexible as earlier bows, Peccatte bows are still normally fairly flexible; the increase in weight from earlier concepts makes Peccatte bows well suited to the production of the volume of sound and degree of articulation appropriate to large, modern concert halls. The Peccatte bow is one (but not the only) ideal compromise in terms of tone production and handling. Although it neither produces the beauty of tone of a Tourte, nor handles with the nimbleness of a Nicolas Kittel, a fine Peccatte does everything it must do very well, and with a thick rich sonority. Peccatte heads are typically hatchet or square shaped. The chamfer thickness of a Peccatte is usually at its widest in the middle of the bow head. The knife or file mark chatter or judder on the chamfer should be clearly seen as leaving a rather constant pattern, quite equidistant from one to the next, and at a certain angle to the verticality of the chamfer.

Peccatte Charles, Son of Francois. Born at Mirecourt, 1850. Worked for Vuillaume, Voirin and Lenoble before opening own establishment at Paris, 1908. After the death of his Mother, Charles, freed from his ties with Lenoble, moved into his new home and workshop on the Rue de Valois. Here he moved into a more contemporary style of bow making also using different brand stamp. His meritorious bows have received consistent acknowledgement from soloists." (Universal Dictionary of Violin and Bow Makers). The chamfer on a Charles Peccatte tends to go a little higher into the throat (or the stick itself) on the audience side of the bow.

Persoit, (Persois) Jean Pierre Marie ( b.1790s ? ) Employed with Vuillaume for 15 years. His bows are stamped and resemble those of Tourte. Rugged, Earthy maker. Austere, but honest and direct style.

Pillot a Paris - $1000-3000 range

Poirson, Justin Paris. French maker similar in range to someone like Claude Thomassin. Poirson is one of those makers whose output varied a great deal. There was a short period when he made superb bows, and then there was more of commercial grade (style and finish). Even though his early career showed promise, it was not as brilliant as those of his contemporaries. From 1890 his production deteriorated from year to year and took on a fairly heavy, almost coarse aspect towards the end (1925). Poirson did work for Vuillaume. It was there that he met the best Great makers of the time including Voirin. Just a side note about Justin Poirson. Poirson and Thomassin both vary in weight, wood selection and quality... they also produced bows for some of the same firms from time to time. Both makers can be priced from $6K upwards (silver mounted bows). Remember, at 6K, the bows are priced roughly the same as bows from workshops like Bazin or Morizot (really, the next tier down). I understand that he met an unfortunate demise. Apparently he was assassinated. Does anyone know the circumstances of his death? It seems curious that a violin or bow maker would be a target of assassins.

Poullot, Jacques & Monique - Contemporary French bow makers

Raffin, Jean François Contemporary French expert, maker and reputable firm / shop in Paris. Mr Raffin is currently the World's foremost expert on French bows, and together with B. Millant wrote the definitive volume on historic French bows entitled "L'Archet" Featuring French bow makers including detailed photos of their bows. Considered the new basic reference book A comprehensive encyclopaedia of French bow makers that brings together years of research in three (actually four) expansive volumes. The informative text in French, English and German is accompanied by hundreds of photographs. Text in English, French and German. 4 Volumes, ca. 1500 pages, more than 3000 colour photos. The following contemporary bow makers S Bigot, Jean-Luc Tauziède, T. Kovacs, JB Lee (Second of the Concours du Meilleur Ouvrier de France 2007) etc. were trained in the Raffin workshop

Rolland, Benoit Website Contemporary French master bow maker and violinist. Studied violin making with Jean Eulry, and a decade later switched to bow making, working for Bernard Millant. His Spiccato bows are thought to be the world's best carbon-fibreglass bows. The flexibility of the bows can be altered by an invisible adjusting system. He also makes traditional Pernambuco bows. The Fetique family handed him down a fine stock of high quality wood. A very exacting and precise workmanship is evident. Moved to Boston, USA. Has made more than 1200 bows in 2007. If you view the precision of workmanship in a Rolland bow you will note that many of the Classical Historic French makers didn't make bows very well; certainly many were made to much lower standards than a Rolland from a craftsmanship point of view. Of course, inspiration and expression were never lacking.

Richaume, Andre Georges ( born in Mirecourt on 08/02/1905 and died in Paris on 31/03/1966. ) Apprenticed with Emile Francois Ouchard in Mirecourt, before joining his uncle, Victor Fétique in Paris. He worked on his own from 1923 to 1957. Was named " Meilleur Ouvrier de France " Supplied fine bows to other Parisian makers under his own brand. The fact that Richaume was apprenticed with Emille Ouchard Père and later his uncle Victor Fetique resulted in a bold and artistic style of making that one can clearly see in his bows. Etienne Vatelot 'Les Archets Français' (Second edition published by Sernor - M. Dufour) states in Volume 2 page 808 "One of the most remarkable bow makers of his generation". Christopher Brown 'Discovering bows for the Double Bass' 1994 Beaux Arts Editions page 173 writes "One of the great French bow makers of the 20th century". The violinist David Oistrakh used a bow by Richaume throughout his life. Below : a couple of Richaume bows ; silver mounted strong octagonal sticks, well made, of very precise workmanship.

Sartory, Eugene ( 1871 - 1946 ) was taught by his father in Mirecourt. He went to Paris in 1890 and worked for Charles Peccatte and Alfred Lamy before setting up on his own in 1893. He fortified the Voirin model, producing sturdily built bows with strong shafts. The heads are rounded and bell-shaped, like a Voirin. His bows are marked "Sartory". The apex of the trend toward heavy, strong bows was exemplified in the output of Eugene Sartory, who developed a style of bow to which his atelier adhered consistently for decades. Vigneron and Jules Fetique produced bows that at times could rival a Sartory in terms of strength and handling, but the consistency of Sartory bows has made them a perennial favourite among musicians even if they lack some of the subtlety of older bows. But Sartory bows are utterly reliable as playing tools. Authenticity tip ; as with many other bows, a further stamp Sartory can be found under the wrapping. "Pupil of his Father; worked for Peccatte in Paris before 18th year; and for Lamy several years. Ultimately opened own workshop at Paris. Recipient of medals and diplomas at Brussels, 1887; Lyons, 1894; Liege, 1905; Milan, 1906 and London, 1908. Decorated "Officier d'Academie" Paris. Bows universally admired. Appearance brings up memories of a Voirin bow, though the head is less refined. Often beautifully balanced sticks of Pernambuco. All orchestral players greatly admire his productions." (Universal Dictionary of Violin and Bow Makers). Early (1910) Sartory bow heads are more feline and gracefully shaped than later bows which have fuller and more angular heads.

Serdet, Paul example Paul Serdet nickel/ebony France c.1920 weight 55.5 g $3,250.00 USA/2005 prices.

Silvestre & Macoutel French firm / shop at the turn of the Century.

Simon, Barthélémy long lost brother of Pierre. Little is known about him. His bows were stamped Pierot, after his wife's name. Barthélémy lived to the age of 73, and was always known as a bow maker in Mirecourt, but alas his work is unknown to this day.

Simon, Pierre (b.1808 - d.1882, aged 73 & later known as Paul Simon) Became one of the most important makers of his time. He worked in Paris for Peccatte, Vuillaume and Gand Frères. In 1847 he purchased Peccatte's business. His bows have 2 distinct head models, one his own and the other based on a Peccatte model. Not much is known about his early work. He probably apprenticed from the age of 12 in Mirecourt, working for someone like Pajeot (speculation based on the elegance of his work by P. Child). Arrived in Paris in 1838. Probably started making bows at least as early as 1827. However, the earliest bow attributed to Pierre, according to Raffin & Millant, was made for Vuillaume and dates back to 1845 when Pierre was 37 years old. Simon entered partnership with Joseph Henry from 1848-1851. Simon was one of the most skilled makers ever. He made bows on several patterns and of varying weights. Sometimes he used a model similar to the Peccatte interpretation of Tourte, and these heavier Simon bows play similarly to Peccatte bows. But the classic, bell-shaped Simon head is derived from an earlier Tourte model. These tend to be lighter and more flexible than the classic Peccatte model. The finest Simon bows can have a highly attractive, lithe flexibility and a genuine beauty of tone. A pristine and glorious bow finely mounted in silver and ebony with a round shaft. It bears the maker's brand, "Simon a Paris." This bow glorifies the wonderful qualities of Simon's work. The strong, finely balanced stick produces a smooth and velvety tone. 60 grams. Simon is one of the few makers from 1850-1875 to have made octagonal bows either for himself or for Vuillaume. Pierre made few or no viola bows. The chamfer of a Simon bow follows a large, generous curve which can be seen from the profile. Also, the chamfers are quite symmetrical in a Simon bow. Pierre made bows for Vuillaume, Gand Frères, Gand & Bernardel Frères, Chanot and Bernardel et Fils. Pierre's brother, Barthélémy, younger by two years, was also a bow maker.

Sirjean, of great distinction

Tauziède, Jean Luc homepage Contemporary maker. Born in Anglet (Basque country-France) a seaside resort located between the cities of Bayonne and Biarritz forty two years ago. Father was an aeronautic engineer and Mother was an organ player, and teacher in music college (CNR Bayonne) . I used to be a cello student (of Jacques Doué) before dedicating my life to Bow making.  In 1992 Jean-François Raffin, offered me to come and work in his Parisian workshop, in order to learn the trade . I have been his assistant till 1997. Since then, I have been working in the Basque area, my native country, implementing the know-how which  Jean-François Raffin, Stéphane Thomachot and Jean Grunberger taught me. My main activity consists in the making of fine classical bow models for violin, viola, cello and double bass, including older models of the transitory and baroque periods.  I also work for the restoration and maintenance of quartet bows.

Thibouville-Lamy, Jerome ( JTL complete name Louis Emile Jérôme Thibouville-Lamy or J.T.L.) (F-1833 / 1902). A superbly balanced and elegant silver mounted bow circa 1920 from this Mirecourt manufacturer. The round stick feels just right in the hand and the hair grips the string and pulls out sound really well. Branded J. Thibouville-Lamy and one side and on the other side D'apres Lamy. A nice large mother-of-pearl dot on each side of the frog.  Settled at Mirecourt the day of his marriage (1861), The bow department was created with the help of Jean-Joseph Martin, in 1870. This shop closed in 1968.

Thomachot, Stéphane (living) Maître d'Art Website : World class contemporary French bow maker who has trained some of the most eminent bow makers active today. He frequently judges at the most prestigious international bow making competitions. The modern revival and interest in bow-making has been led by makers such as Stéphane Thomachot in France. He made many bows including gold-mounted violin bows, however 90%, he tells me, are silver mounted. Thomachot has his own model which he has not deviated from for the last 15-20 years (similar to that of Sartory in feel but more supple). He makes quartet bows : violin, viola and cello, mounted on ebony and silver or ebony and gold. Thomachot's bow making style remains very personal, and is also inspired by the famous bow makers of the 19th century and early 20th century. Concerning the sound, the making is marked by the great masters of the first half of the 19th century. "There are three important things to consider in choosing a bow" renowned Parisian bow maker Stéphane Thomachot once told Strings magazine: "No.1 is the sound, no.2 is the sound and n.3 is the sound". To order your bow, please call us : Phone number : +33 (0)1 42 55 15 90 Fax number : +33 (0)1 42 52 33 99 E-mail : sthombow@club-internet.fr A period of time of 3 to 6 months will be needed to make your bow. You may either come to the workshop to get your bow, or we will send it to you. Stéphane Thomachot, Archetier, Maître d'Art, Meilleur Ouvrier de France; Studio in 16 Avenue du général Leclerc 75014 Paris / Main Workshop or Atelier: rue du Mourre Fres  84160 Cucuron, France tel. +33 4 90 77 24 69, Prices in January 2008 are 3500 Euros for a silver violin bow and 5000 Euros for a gold violin bow (but check latest prices). I have just ordered a bow! View an example

Thomassin, Louis ( 1855 - c.1905 ) After working with Bazin in Mirecourt went to Paris in 1872 to work with Voirin, and later with Lamy. From 1891 he had his own workshop in Paris. Louis Thomassin, ca. 1880. Thomassin worked with Voirin, and continued Voirin's shop after his death.

Thomassin, Claude was son and pupil of Louis ( 1870 - 1942 ) also made fine bows in Paris, based on Voirin's model. Here is a description of one of Claude Thomassin's bows on sale : c.1920 Paris. This is a professional bow  made of round orange-brown Pernambuco wood. The ebony frog is silver mounted with pearl eyes.  The ebony end button has two silver rings. Very rounded ferrule or guard. The finger grip is leather with silver winding.  The bow is branded with the maker's usual brand: "C. Thomassin A Paris".  The bow weighs 61.5 grams. ($12,500 in 2004). Claude Thomassin has been called one of the best makers of his generation. He learned at the end of the 19th century in the Bernardel shop; stamped Gand & Bernardel, this is one of his earliest bows. He set up his own atelier in the Rue de Paris in 1901. Typical Claude Thomassin would be dated 1920.C. Thomassin a Paris silver/ebony France 60.9g $4,000 USA 2005 price (maybe too low).

Tournier, Joseph Branded J Tournier Paris this silver mounted bow is a really exceptional item. A truly artistic head tops a near mint condition round stick of a red-brown colour while the fine playing qualities of this bow really do point to it being made by a top Archetier. The bows stamped by this violin maker were nearly all made by Louis Bazin, Louis Morizot & Fils or Emile A. Ouchard.

Tourte, Francoise Xavier Le jeune ( 1747 - 1835 ) most famous maker of all times did not stamp his bows. Initially a clock maker, he went on to designed the modern bow, thanks to his apprenticeship with his father, Louis Tourte Père ( c.1720 - 1780 ) , also bow maker. The modern bow was approved of around 1785 or 86 by Spohr, who described them as having " trifling weight with sufficient elasticity of stick and the beautiful and uniform bending, by which the nearest approach to the hair is exactly in the middle between the head and the frog" as well as the "extremely accurate and neat workmanship" in Spohr's " Violinschule " published in 1832. Tourte designed it with Viotti's suggestions. Tourte, according to Fetis, fixed the length of the violin bow at 74 to 75 cm, the playing hair at 65 cm, and the balance point at 19 cm above the frog. The weight averaged at around 56 grams. Each bow fetched 15 Louis d'Or, and each bow, unless entirely faultless, was destroyed. He never varnished his bows but only rubbed them with pumice powder and oil. Tourte achieved his bend ( as is still done now ) by heating the wood thoroughly and then bending it. Up to then, bows had been cut at once to the desired bend. The Tourte pattern was followed by Dominique Peccatte, Nicolas Eury, Nicolas Maire, Francois Lupot, Joseph Henry and Persois though these followers did ( especially Peccatte and Voirin ) tended to make bows about 1 cm shorter.

Vigneron, Joseph Arthur ( b.31 July 1851 Mirecourt - d.13 June 1905 Maisons-Alfort aged 53) Studied with his step-father Claude Husson in Mirecourt. Here he was studying side by side with Joseph Alfred Lamy père (father of the Lamy family of bow makers), who was less than a year older than him. Vigneron worked with Husson until the latter's death in 1872, then he moved to the shop of Jean Joseph Martin. Before opening his own workshop in 1888 at 54 Rue de Cléry, Paris (less than 200 metres away from his old colleague Joseph Alfred Lamy père) he worked for Gand & Bernardel Frères from 1880. His bows were quite solid and followed his own individual style. Typical date of manufacture would be 1890... Whenever we take up one of these bows an involuntary exclamation of pleasure rises to our lips! A maker who decided on selecting the finest wood and worked it with loving care. He worked quickly, with powerful execution, without pondering nor fussing over the details. He worked with an assured and even hand ; irregularities or weaknesses are never found. He made a bow a day, it is said (or more like a batch of 6 bows per week). Bows made by a man upon whom nature had bestowed a mind deeply sensitive of the beautiful, and highly cultivated by experience. Vigneron had a fairly even camber along the stick. The curve was not like Voirin's, behind the head, but more in the middle of the bow, closer to the grip. Vigneron also designed bows with a bottom heavy cross section.. a sort of rounded triangular cross section which added stability to the bow (lower centre of gravity) These bows, some of which were longer by about 1cm, may have been designed in collaboration with the violinist Lucien Capet (modele Lucien Capet was often stamped on such bows). In the diagram of the bow cross sections, from left to right read: Normal / Andre bass / Model Capet. Irregularities and anomalies in the grain direction were well balanced and intuitively compensated for. Very elegant sticks with a fine and strong sway, and splendid heads overall giving the bow an uniquely individual playability. Vigneron's bow heads resemble a solid version of the Voirin school, and some have a feminine interpretation of a late period Pierre Simon. Mostly his bows are silver mounted, with solid buttons and matching Parisian eyes. Few of the past French makers surpassed him in refinement. (Universal Dictionary of Violin and Bow Makers) Raffin & Millant in their book "L'Archet" write "Many musicians are unconditional admirers of the production of this great master." The chamfer of a Vigneron widens at the top as it goes into the stick. He was succeeded by his son André ( 1881 - 1924 ) a prolific maker in his father's style.

Vigneron, Andre ( b. 19 Sept 1881 - 1924 aged 43) a prolific maker in his father's style. Apprenticed 12 years with his father. Strong bows, heavier and more suited to modern playing. Some of Andre's bows were not as elegant as those by his contemporaries, though some were equal or surpassed the finest of his day. Andre's bows are considered good, but not as good as those by his father. Andre supplied unstamped bows to other makers in Paris. His Bass bows are excellent ; modern and strong, with lower centre of gravity (see cross section middle bow). In my experience, Joseph Arthur's bows have been more elegant, lighter, more refined than Andre's. Andre's bows are bold, sturdy and very strong, like a Victor Fetique or even stronger. Weight of a violin bow comes in at 63g.

Voirin, Joseph c.1870 typical dates of workmanship. Brother of F.N.Voirin

Voirin, François Nicolas ( 1833 - 1885 ) in Paris, Voirin was a cousin of JB Vuillaume. FN Voirin was the brother of Joseph Voirin. He was known as the "Modern Tourte". Made violins first. Apprenticed in Mirecourt then worked in the workshop of Vuillaume at first ( 1855 until 1870 ). In fact his early bows were stamped with the name Vuillaume. He produced a radically different bow from Tourte; Slimmer head; the camber moved closer to head, yielding a stronger stick and reducing the thickness of the shaft especially at the heel. A very, perhaps too light ( as low as 52 gr. ) but strong stick. At around 1870 most French makers, inspired by Voirin were moving away from the Tourte-Peccatte school. These changes were not only to the head, which was now lighter, rounder and more feminine, but the camber curve is now concentrated in the third of the bow directly behind the head. (Before Voirin it was in the middle third of the bow.) Also with Voirin the heights of the head and frog were lower than had been made previously. Voirin bows typically have a rounded bell-shaped head. Voirin was often tempted by English makers and dealers to work for them, but he always refused, saying his work belonged to his country. His bows are stamped F.N.Voirin. Voirin taught Charles Peccatte ( 1850 - 1920 son of François Peccatte.) His followers were Alfred Lamy, Louis and Claude Thomassin and Charles N Bazin. After he died his wife carried on the business, often using his brand on his pupils' work. A Violin bow by Francois Nicolas Voirin, Paris, c1860. Round stick, mounted with silver and ebony costs £10,000 in the year 2004 in a London shop. Francois Nicolas Voirin was the most skilled maker of his generation, one of the finest makers ever, and he produced a uniformly high quality product. But Voirin bows suffer from inconsistency with the quality of wood, and many of his bows were produced on a lighter, smaller model. The best Voirin bows are exquisite playing tools; they are strong and nimble and produce a beautiful tone. These represent a relative bargain in the market place since (it is generally thought) the general price for Voirin has been held in check by their inconsistency in playability (not quality of workmanship - read more because of his fairly high number of light weight bows !). Voirin chose a style of bow which is extremely fine; his workmanship was of the highest quality. Bows were feminine, elegant precise and delicate.

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Vuillaume, Jean Baptiste ( 1798 - 1875 ) was trained as a violin maker in Mirecourt and later became one of the most famous French violin makers of the early 19th century. He set up his own workshop in 1828. He was a good businessman and of course a good inventor. For example he did invent a hollow steel bow, and a self re-hairing bow, though neither these inventions proved to be of lasting importance. He made a profound study of F.X.Tourte's bows, and though he, himself was not a bow maker, he did direct and supervise the work of his own makers. Bow makers who passed through his shop were Dominique, Francois & Charles Peccatte, Joseph Fonclause, Pierre Simon, Persois, Guillaume Maline & F.N.Voirin. Although he probably did not make bows himself, J.B. Vuillaume exerted a profound influence on bow making. Vuillaume experimented with the design of the bow: innovations such as the self-rehairing bow, by which a musician might change the hair without the aid of a repairman, and the Vuillaume style frog and button, designed to mitigate against normal wear and tear, as well as the invention of the Steel bow, which while lacking in terms of warmth and beauty of tone, handles remarkably well. None of these modifications or experiments have had a lasting impact on subsequent makers however, and Vuillaume’s most important legacy to the art of bow-making was his capacity to extract the highest quality output from the many bow-makers who worked for him. In particular, Nicolas Maline produced his most carefully finished and best playing bows for J.B. Vuillaume. Other makers such as Charles Peccatte and F.N Voirin made extremely fine bows for Vuillaume. Maline’s bows were presumably influenced by Peccatte, whose bold hatchet head they seem to emulate. While they generally do not possess the kind of subtlety and colour nuance present in a fine Peccatte, Maline bows often play very well, and the vast output of Maline’s atelier subsequent to his tenure in the Vuillaume workshop gives us plenty of chances to become familiar with the playing qualities of his bows after his affiliation with Vuillaume. The Vuillaume bows are nearly always the best of Maline's output.

Belgian Bow Makers

Darche, Nicholas ; Belgium. Beautiful and rare professional bow in exquisite condition. $5600

English Bow Makers

Bristow, Stephen E. Trained with Hill & Sons. Excellent Contemporary bow maker in the Hill tradition ; one of the best living English bow makers lives in the vicinity of Bristol, England. Email bristowbows@hotmail.com and website http://www.bristowbows.co.uk/. Very reliable, strong bows. Recently tried an octagonal bow of 60 grs made from a fine dark, dense wood. Highly desirable bows.

Bultitude, A.R. (1908-1990) His bows bear the makers brand stamp on each side of the handle and 'England' on the bottom facet. Made bows of the finest quality. Some bows are in the style of Vigneron with a profile that is a combination of half-round and a half-ellipse. The frogs often have the trade mark Tudor Rose emblem, the face is fitted with silver. On the sticks beneath the frog can be seen figures such as  58 75, recording that this would be the 58^th bow made in the year 1975. In this year Bultitude  was aged fifty. His production of bows was quite prolific. In some years between 130 to 140 bows were made.

Burke, Noel Ireland, trained with S. Thomachot. Bow maker of world repute / rather good modern bows / good sound / not too rigid. 89 Friars Green, Tullow Road, County Carlow, Ireland. Tel +353(0)59 9131948 burkebows@oceanfree.net Gold medal winner at the Manchester International Cello Festival in 1998 and awarded 6 gold medals at the Violin Society of American Competitions in 1994 and 1996. He now lives in Ireland. In December 1999 he was awarded another gold medal for his violin bow at the Paris Competition.

Clutterbuck, John English bow maker pupil of Malcolm Taylor

Collins, Roy. A very decent quality silver mounted bow suitable for a good student or as a second bow for a touring professional. The stick is in the style of bows made by Vigneron.

Dodd, John ( London 1752 - Surrey 1839 ) son of Edward Dodd ( Sheffield 1705- London 1810 ), who was also a bow maker, even though his bows were often unstamped. In fact it is not entirely certain whether father Edward ever lived ! However, John Dodd became the greatest English bow maker until Tubbs. He was a gunlock fitter and then a money-scale maker before turning to bow making. His later bows are particularly fine, though judged to be a little short. John Dodd was a contemporary of F. X. Tourte and worked in London. He made fine bows, but his measurements and quality of bows are never entirely consistent. For instance, some bows were made slightly shorter than the norm. Though Dodd was often in dire need of funds, it was recounted that he was very secretive about his art, and once turned down an offer of 1000 pounds sterling for a copy of his pattern. He also refused to teach pupils for the same reason. Dodd used 2 forms for the head ; the slender "swan" type and the squat " hammer " head type, more common in Italy and France. An excellent choice of Pernambuco wood was available to Dodd and much of this came to England in the form of Barrels. This explains the numerous traces of nail holes which sometimes run right through his sticks. According to Baillot, it seems that Viotti may have used a Dodd bow which was about 2½ cm shorter than the Tourte model. Many of Dodd's bows have this fault of not being long enough. He arrived at a similar bow design to Tourte, though through entirely independent means.

Hawkes & Son were prominent English dealers of a range of high-quality instruments and bows including Pedrazzini, Roth, Milton and Falise. In terms of bows they stamped fine French bows from Mirecourt c.1895.

Hill & Sons ( W.E.) designed own bow, English in character, from Dodd & Tubbs. Many 20th C English bow-makers passed through Hill workshops. The Hills used five different stamps, each one denoting a different quality level. They are, in order of quality top to bottom: W. E. Hill & Sons - W. E. H & S - Hill & Sons England - H & S - Hill. The last two are debatable as to which is the higher quality, but this is the order William Retford put them in. Kreisler used a Fleur-de-Lys Hill bow. Instead of re-haring them, he would stop at Hill & Sons and drop of a pile of bows and pick up a newly re-haired pile ! Like many great players he used different bows. Hill bows often have metal tips, and are often strong and sturdy, of the octagonal variety. They often combine good tonal qualities with superb reliability and strength. Entry level prices are around 2k GBP (2005-07 prices) and rise to £4.5k or more for the Fleur-de-Lys frogs.

There are fake Hill bows floating around. They're easier to copy than some other bows because the shop was so meticulous about the workmanship being the same. But most of the copies are stamped "W. E. Hill & Sons" to make them more valuable.

Green, Howard. English bow maker. Homepage link. Itzhak Perlman has a couple of Green's bows and Ilya Gringolts plays on one and there many other top players using them

Retford, William Charles served with the firm of Hill for sixty-four years as a Bow Maker & Restorer. One of England's finest ever makers.

Taylor, Malcom Morris ( b.1933 ) Apprenticed with Hills & Sons, also working there until 1973. Set up his own workshop in Barnstaple, Devon . His pupils include John Clutterbuck, Stephan Bristow and Brian Alvey, all at Hill's.

Taylor, Michael John ( b.1949 ) Trained at Ealing Strings, London. His fine bows combine the Tourte model with a more sturdy and solid English framework.

Tubbs, James ( b.1835 d.1919 or 1921 ) Son of William. He worked in London, at first for W.E Hill & Sons. The most famous member of this bow-making family. An eccentric man, who made many highly individual bows. Strange action & balance require some getting used to. Together with his son Alfred ( d.1912 ) they produced more than 5000 bows. Another member of the family was Edward, who worked in New York around the turn of the century. Typical James Tubbs would be dated to c. 1900. "James Tubbs was born in London, 1835. Son of William. Worked for father until 1860... Received the special appointment of bow maker to the Duke of Edinburgh. It is impossible for any person who appreciates a fine bow, not to hail with unalloyed delight any of the productions of James Tubbs... This champion, completely disciplined, stepped forward to challenge the opinion that French bows were the only bows worthy of artists' acceptance, and, he won the day on this field he had entered. To say that he was the equal of Tourte, Peccatte, and Voirin, is not a wild and extravagant hypothesis." (Universal Dictionary of Violin and Bow Makers) It is universally accepted that James Tubbs (1835-1921) ranks among the five or six most important bow makers in history. The authority, Henley, calls him “this champion” and places him alongside Tourte, Peccatte and Voirin. String players generally regard his bows as extremely desirable, and will often go to great lengths to obtain one and collectors may pay huge amounts to own one. Henley says this about Tubbs, who was also appointed bow maker to the Duke of Edinburgh: ”Intimately acquainted with the minutiae or perfect balance, familiar with the diversified style of celebrated predecessors, trained by long study of all the laws, wisely assimilated suggestions from various violinists, brought a refined and mature tact in seizing all the bearings couched under strength and elasticity, imbued with a sincere love of artistry and profound reverence for its dictates, and withal, endowed with a natural gift of manipulative skill. Possessed every qualification peculiarly fitting him to produce everything replete with perfection.” This bow, stamped ”JAS TUBBS”, has a round stick of very dark brown Pernambuco – his preferred type of stick. The tip is silver-mounted and all other fittings are of silver. The original ebony frog has a simple mother-of-pearl eye. The stick is characterized by unusual lightness, combined with strength and truly perfect balance

Tubbs, Thomas ( c.1770 - c1830 ) witnessed the birth of the modern bow. The quality of his work was variable. His son, William ( c.1805 - 1878? ), was also a bow maker, though his bows are rare.

Watson, W.D. Made bows for W.E.Hill & Sons.

Walcher, Jutta was an apprentice with Garner Wilson and then worked with Matthew Coltman. Since 1995 her mentor has been bow maker Peter Oxley. Prizes: bronze Manchester 1998 and fourth prize (va) Paris 1999.

Wilson, Garner Contemporary bow maker. His Gold mounted bows sell for £2200 in the year 2004. One of the few modern makers to feature regularly in Sotheby's auctions. Trained by Bultitude. Website link

German Bow Makers

Bausch, Ludwig Christian August  ( 1805 - 1871 ) Studied in Dresden and eventually set up his own firm in Leipzig. He combined the best elements of French and German styles, and achieved enough fame to be called the "German Tourte". His 2 sons, Otto and Ludwig produced bows until 1908.

Dörfler, WE, For more than three generations Dörfler have been producing bows with superior craftsmanship and in the style of the great master, Tourte. Daniel Dörfler, founder of the company, set himself the task of bringing the German bow construction to the Tourte level of quality. Egidius Dörfler has made the master workshop what it is today by means of perfection, high quality standards and artistic intuition. lt is for this reason that the master bows bear his name. Bows worth £400 GBP in 2007.

Finkel, Siegfried  ( b.1927 ) From a Swiss bow maker family. They continued the work of Ewald Weidhaas in Markneukirchen. Siegfried studied with Ewald's son, Paul, also becoming Paul's son in law. He worked on his own in Brienz from 1952. His bows are well made Germanic versions of the Peccatte model. Seigfried taught his son and pupil Johannes ( b.1947 ). "Pupil of Weidhaas. Worked at Konigsberg (Prussia). Bows which splendidly reflect the traits of the French and German notabilities." (Universal Dictionary of Violin and Bow Makers)

Hamming, Wilhelm Hermann Leipzig Violin shop.  It is known that the Nürnbergers produced several bows for them.

Hoyer, Otto named "the Parisian", because he worked in France for some time with the famous bow maker Sartory

Gutter, Fritz "Pupil of Pfretzschner and Nürnberger. Worked at Markneukirchen, 1919. Bows of high merit showing that the maker had consummate judgement of balance, lightness and strength." (Universal Dictionary of Violin and Bow Makers)

Kittel, Nicholas  of German origin worked in Petersburg ( from 1839 to 1870 ) was known as the "Russian Tourte". In Czarist Russia Nicolas Kittel served as violinmaker to the court, and produced a unique style of playing bow, often using beautiful, highly flamed wood. The design of Kittel bows is also derived from an advanced Tourte model although this interpretation of Tourte is distinctly different from the French interpretations. Kittel bows are nearly always quite light and flexible. Despite their flexibility, Kittel bows have extremely quick playing characteristics alongside a unique beauty of tone.

Knopf family

Nürnberger, Franz Albert II Junior ( 1854 - 1931 ) Worked with his father, Franz Albert I, Senior ( son of Karl Gottlieb ) in Markneukirchen. His father founded the bow making school there. He ( Albert II ) established himself around 1880, using Vuillaume, Tubbs and Tourte bows as models. Around 1890 he introduced the first workshop stamp ALBERT NÜRNBERGER. His brand was also used by his son, Karl Albert ( b1906 ). The earlier bows are superior to the latest models with this family. Others include Johann Christoph, who worked for 5 years with Vuillaume and Philipp Paul, son of Albert II, who established himself in 1897. Franz Albert Junior's two sons were Philip Paul (1882-1946) and Carl Albert (1885-1971). Carl Albert developed the workshop into one of the top Addresses for bow making in the 1920s.

Karl Albert Nürnberger (b1906) This bow, stamped *Albert Nürnberger* would be the work of Karl Albert Nürnberger, who was born in Markneukirchen in 1906. He was of a long line of Nürnbergers which goes back all the way the the mid 18th century, and worked closely with his father in their studio. He produced bows of extreme refinement and exceptional quality. What makes this bow of unusual interest (and a potential collector’s piece) is that it was recently retrieved from obscurity and oblivion and appears to have been virtually unused since it’s making. It is truly in mint condition, as if made only yesterday. The bow is of high-grade Pernambuco, cut octagonally. The unembellished plain ebony nut is mounted in fine silver. The plain screw is of silver and the tip of bone. The bow is perfectly straight. Several of this maker’s bows are today in South Africa. They were imported into this country by the great Danish violinmaker, Amon Bilmark, who was based in Durban, and who recognized the exceptional quality of Albert Nürnberger’s work. During the Second World War Nürnberger and his family were hard hit by food shortages and lack of materials, and Bilmark used to send him food parcels and other necessities in exchange for his bows. Most of the Nürnbergers we in have in South Africa, are here as a result of this exchange Bilmark had with this great German bow maker - A further note of interest is that during the difficult war years Nürnberger could not obtain silver or mother-of-pearl to mount his better bows in, and many of his finest sticks were mounted in nickel and plain ebony frogs, often with inferior mother-of-pearl. Yet, this particular bow is mounted in silver with fine mother-of-pearl. This would signify that the bow was either made well before the outbreak of the war, or some time after the war. I opt for the period before the war, because apparently Bilmark stopped imported these bows soon after the war was over

Nürnberger Brothers Many of the family members stamped their bows "Albert Nürnberger." The line begins with Christian Gottlob Nürnberger (1792-1868), who learnt his trade in Christian Wilhelm Knopf's Markneukirchen workshop, was the first of the family to be recorded as being a bow maker and citizen of Markneukirchen (according to the Town's 1824 address registry.) Franz Albert I Nürnberger Senior (1826-1895) was the son of Christian Gottlob (Karl Gottleib) Nürnberger. He founded (along with his son Franz Albert I Nürnberger Junior) the bow-making school in Markneukirchen in 1888, and instructed there for twenty-five years. He was supposedly a student of Bausch. Frantz Albert II was an established bow maker around 1880. He became one of the the most prominent bow makers in the world. Some of the family productions are more of the "shop" variety. Others rival French bows

Paesold, Roderich silver/ebony Germany 2004 62.5g $445.00 and 2007 UK prices are around £800 GBP. Very good all round student bows.

Prager, August Edwin (similar to Bausch and Knopf)

Pfretzschner, Carl Richard c. 1860 bow valued at £2k in 2008.

Pfretzschner, Herman Richard  ( b.1857 ) was first a pupil of his Father, Richard Pfretzschner, then he became the last pupil of Vuillaume in Paris for about a year. He established himself in 1880, opening up his first workshop in Markneukirchen, in Germany, working on the Tourte and Voirin models. He created the "Wilhelmj" bow in collaboration with the great Violinist Wilhelmj. His sticks are not varnished. ( common with German bows ). Pfretzschner worked for J.B.Vuillaume for a year (1874) in Paris. This full-length model perfectly demonstrates what a brilliant maker he was. The head is elegantly carved and has neat, precise chamfers. The stick is round and made from wonderful dense Pernambuco that is of an attractive light brown colour. It is strong yet full of elasticity. The frog bears a royal court-of-arms brand. In 1901 Pfretzschner was appointed the title of Bow maker to the Royal Saxonian Court. Bows after this date were stamped with this brand. He supplied bows to the Royal Court of Dresden, and to the Symphony Orchestras and Conservatory in that city. This superbly balanced bow is a delight to use. Silver mounted. From the Universal Dictionary of Violin and Bow Makers : "Went to Paris to study with Vuillaume. Founded his bow making establishment at Markneukirchen, 1880. received an appointment, 1901, from the King of Saxony, subsequently decorated by that exalted personage. Attained a world-wide reputation, possibly second to none. Beautifully balanced affairs, strong yet full of elasticity, backed up by the neatest workmanship and best mounting in silver and gold, etc. All harmony in perfection and nothing wanting to complete the fascination of the whole." Some of his bows were made for the French firm Silvestre & Macoutel. Of the large Pfretzschner family of violin and bow makers, René Vannes singles out Hermann Richard Pfretzschner (1857-1921) as follows: ”Pfretzschner is considered as one of the foremost German bow makers whose work has universal renown.” Henley writes of his work: ”He attained a world-wide reputation, possibly second to none. Beautifully balanced affairs, strong yet full of elasticity, backed up by the neatest workmanship. (…) All harmony in perfection and nothing wanting to complete the fascination of the whole.” Although German, H. R. Pfretzschner went to Paris to study with Vuillaume. As it turned out he was Vuillaume’s last pupil. He afterwards established himself in Markneukirchen, in 1880. In 1901 he was appointed by the King of Saxony as bow maker to the Royal Court of Dresden. This bow, of Pernambuco cut into a round stick, shows the characteristics of about 100 years of use. A very slight degree of wear in the wood is evident at the grip and along the shaft, and the thumb pad is somewhat worn, but for the rest the stick is sound and perfectly straight. The ebony nut has a simple mother-of-pearl eye and the metal fittings are in silver. The tip is ivory. Excellent playing properties. Hermann Richard learned the craft of bow making from his father Carl Richard in Markneukirchen. After the finish of his apprenticeship he decided to study the craft of bow making in Paris, where the bow making was very high developed at that time. He became 1873 the last pupil of the famous violin- and bow maker Jean Baptiste Vuillaume (1798-1875) in Paris. Vuillaume worked after the tradition of the great French master Franz X. Tourte (1747-1835) who gave bows the current form of today and used at first time Pernambuco wood. This short time of learning should give Hermann Richard new ways of influence for his following life and should influence the whole German bow making. Hermann Richard founded his own company in Markneukirchen 1880, which he had been leading very successfully. He received in 1901 the famous title "Königlich Sächsischer Hoflieferant" (purveyor to the court of Saxony). From now on he was allowed to stamp the "king's coat of arms" on the frogs of his bows. 1911 he also received the title "Großherzoglich Sächsischer Hoflieferant" from the "Großherzog of Sachsen Weimar". He probably had been the only master of bow making ever, who received those titles. The bows from his early working period (before 1900) usually show the influence of the models from F. N. Voirin. After this time, he made bows following a number of French and English models without, however, losing his own style. A number of his many bow models were named after famous musicians of this time and he was particular fond of his so-called Wilhelmj-model. The competition of the violin bow found Hermann Richard Pfretzschner in cooperation with the famous violin player Prof. August Wilhelmj (1845-1908). Together they developed the Wilhelmj-model after their meeting in 1903. Later on, Hermann Richard patented this model name. In the year 1914 he turned over his firm to his two sons Hermann and Berthold Pfretzschner; both learned the craft of bow making from their father. In the workshop at that time, there were made a remarkable amount of bows of different quality and price categories. Additionally from the beginning on there were made a lot of bass bows after different models, which have still been requested a lot until today. After the death of his uncle Hermann, Horst Pfretzschner, who learned the craft of bow making from his father Berthold, took over 1958 the company. After the more and more difficult development for independent craftsmen in the former eastern part of Germany DDR, Horst was forced to put his company in the PGH Sinfonia, which was a organisation led by the state. This organisation turned over in 1972 to the VEB Sinfonia, a so called "Volkseigener Betrieb" (company controlled and lead by the government), which joined together 1985 to the VEB Musima. The brothers Heinz and Richard learned then from their father Horst and grandfather Berthold in the family workshop in Markneukirchen the craft of bow making. The bows of the workshop have always been stamped from generation to generation with the traditional family stamp "H. R. PFRETZSCHNER" and the Saxonian king's coat of arms in the frog.

Pfretzschner, F. C  Neither the French authority, René Vannes, nor William Henley lists F. C. Pfretzschner. However, this bow has all the characteristics of excellent workmanship associated with the Pfretzschner family, and the catalogues of some leading auction houses and dealers offer this maker’s bows. This bow is old, probably dating from the beginning of the 20th century and shows some wear of the wood at the grip, which is characteristic of a bow that was well-used and appreciated. The excellent Pernambuco stick, cut octagonally, bears an ebony nut with a somewhat small mother-of-pearl eye. The fittings are of nickel and the tip appears to be in ivory. It has excellent playing properties for any discerning violinist : light yet firm, allowing for good string contact; well-balanced with excellent and easy spiccato.

Prell, Hermann (ca. 1875 - ca. 1925) set himself up in Markneukirchen in 1898, although before World War I he supposedly worked for a short time with Eugene Sartory in Paris. The head of his bows are fine copies of original Sartorys; the bows may be stamped " Herm. W. Prell," in very small letters

Wanka Christian studied bow making for 3 years with his father and worked in Toronto before returning to work in the family workshop in Baiersdorf, Germany.

Wanka Herbert studied bow making at Bubenreuth 1952-55 and worked for Gotthard Schuster for many years before setting up his own workshop in 1971. He now works in Baiersdorf, Germany.

Weichold Richard Dresden Excellent German bows. Saxon Violin shop; It is known that the Nürnbergers produced several bows for them.

Weidhaas, Paul (1894-1962) worked in Paris, probably with Victor Fetique, before World War I. He established himself in Markneukirchen in 1918. His bows may be stamped with either with his own stamp " Paul Weidhaas," or with that of his employer, "Victor Fetique a Paris."

Winkler, Franz Products much recognised, c. 1920/1950. Original model (known as the Winkler), also imitations of the Tourte and Voirin. Impressive and artistic.... perfect balance." (Universal Dictionary of Violin and Bow Makers). Franz Winkler studied bow making in Markneukirchen from Franz Heinrich Winkler, his father. He set up on his own in Markneukirchen in 1896, travelling later to America, where he worked in Philadelphia and Chicago. He returned to Europe in 1903, after a period spent in Paris he returned to Markneukirchen spending the rest of his life there. He also owned a restaurant 'Weidmannsruh' (Shepherds Rest) and also had a small farm

 

American Bow Makers

Salchow, William (Salchow & Sons bow makers) first studied bow making and repair under Simone Sacconi in New York and then at Mirecourt with Georges Barjonnet. He opened his own New York studio in 1960 where he has been making bows and inspiring bow makers ever since. Salchow Stephen was taught by his father, William Salchow and his nephew Isaac. He is currently making close copies of bows by Peccatte and Pajeot. Salchow Isaac studied with his grandfather, William Salchow and now works with Salchow & Sons. His bows are close copies of originals by Tourte, Persoit and Pajeot.  William Salchow was the first American to study bow making in France. With the recommendation of Simone Sacconi, he was awarded a Fulbright grant and spent a year in Mirecourt, France with Georges Barjonnet, one of Emile Francois Ouchard's great protégés, in 1960. He was joined by his grandson Isaac in 1992, and his son Stephen in 1995.

Alfred, John, Buffalo, NY - Bender, EW, Newman, IL - Copland, JN Chicago, IL - Guetter, Julius, Philadelphia, Pa - Karr, Albert, H, Kansas City, Mo - Knopf, Henry R, New York City - Kovanda, Frank - Lyeki, Louis, St. Louis, Mo - Many, John A, Washington DC - Mathewson, CH, Providence, RI - Passa, Frank - Reindahl, Knute, Madison, Wisc - Robinson, Robert, Portland, Ore - Roy, Ben J, Seattle, Wash - Wrona, Anthony - Tubbs, Edward, New York City - Valiance, Fred G, Detroit, Mich - Wrona, Anthony - Zimmerman, James S, Asheville, NC

Brazilian contemporary makers

Bottoni, J ; Brazil; Octagonal bow; strong but lively; exquisite balance, 61.2grams. Mounted in gold and ebony. $2,000 in 2004

Carlesso, A ; Brazil; Octagonal, mounted in silver and buffalo horn. $1,200 in 2004

Pereira, M ; Brazil; Round, silver mounted. Special Edition. $1,200 in 2004 - another bow is round, mounted in gold and ebony. Moderately light, lively bow. $2,000 in 2004

Australian Contemporary Makers

Ellis, Jeffrey A  Homepage. Sydney's Jeffrey Ellis, is one of Australia's most notable bow makers. He was a Churchill Fellow and studied with William Salchow in New York in 1989. Since l988 Jeffrey Ellis has been awarded 5 certificates of merit from the Violin Society of America and in 1993 he was awarded a silver medal at the Mittenwald Violin and Bow making Competition

Collectors, Connoisseurs and Experts

Childs, Paul a New York bow collector and connoisseur, believes we are living in the time of the best bow making in history. Dealer from 1974.