Martin Swan Violins Riccardo Genovese was the principal student of Annibale Fagnola, but his work is softer and the sound always more successful. This is a fine example in great condition with a powerful and very even sound.
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This is a very attractive viola bow by Marcel Lapierre. Branded twice and dated 1960 under the frog, it’s in excellent condition – it’s also a remarkable player for its price.
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Yet one more excellent Hill bow, this time a fine early gold and tortoiseshell example with a stick by WIlliam Johnston, the frog bearing marks for Bultitude. Some wear to the stick but generally in very fine condition, and a lovely golden tone.
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Louis Gillet is best known as the maker of many late Sartory bows, but he was a formidable maker in his own right. This is an unusually attactive example – a very well balanced stick in top condition.
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Jean Persoit was a remarkable maker, and this is a remarkable Persoit. It’s in outstanding condition for a bow that’s nearly 200 years old, and it’s one of the best Persoits we have seen. A mighty bow for a leading soloist…
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This is a very fine violin bow by Charles Claude Husson, one of the last makers to join the Vuillaume workshop. It’s in excellent condition and an outstanding player with a bright, open sound.
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Hippolyte Camille Lamy is one of the most precise and gifted makers of the early 20th century – here we have an exceptional gold and ivory viola bow in mint condition.
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Lafleur is one of the great names in French bow-making, and this is a very fine early example of his work. Contemporary bow-makers would kill or maim to get their hands on this quality of pernambuco, dense, veined and beautifully flamed. The head is very artistic, a bell-like model which Pierre Simon championed in his work. Typical frog with 2-piece heel-plate, one single pin in the centre of the back plate.
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This is a fine mid-19th century English cello bow, most likely made in the workshop of William Tubbs. It’s a rare and collectable bow in excellent original condition.
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A beautifully preserved cello bow in silver and tortoiseshell by one of the early Hill makers, Sydney Yeoman.
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William Johnston was one of the first bowmakers to be employed by the Hill workshop. This is a published and highly collectable early example in near mint condition.
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This beautiful bow is one of the best Nürnbergers we have seen, and without doubt the finest we have ever had for sale. It’s a gold mounted example in excellent condition with exceptional playing qualities.
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Here we have a near-mint Carl Albert Nürnberger, a splendid, austere looking bow with a big fruity sound.
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Jules Fétique has a bit of a cult following amongst bow aficionados. This is a lovely example made during his time at Caressa & Français, currently in very good condition.
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Marco Raposo bows come from a well established Brazilian company who use responsibly sourced pernambuco. I’ve always been impressed with the quality of their bows – they are distinctive in looks and they play well.
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Fornaciari Jr. bows are made in Brazil and are very popular in the US. There’s a wide range of models – this bow is at the top of the range, made with excellent pernambuco and with full silver mounts.
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Another good Hill violin bow, this time the work of Sydney Yeoman – very well preserved, and a strong, smooth player.
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This is a good Hill bow made by Frank Napier, who worked for Hills between 1900 and 1930. It’s in good condition and plays beautifully.
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This is an exceptional Pierre Simon stick made for Vuillaume, with later copy mounts. The stick is in near-mint condition and the playability is all you would expect from one of the greatest makers of the 19th century.
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Claude Thomassin is one of the most undervalued makers of the early 20th century, and his bows are finally being recognized for their originality. Although still affordable, we are seeing values rising quite dramatically in the last 3-4 years. This example has a typically direct yet refined sound – the condition is excellent though the adjuster is a later copy.
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Branded WE H&S, this remarkable bow was made by Willam R. Retford (son of William C Retford) around 1930. A very responsive player of an ideal weight, in a fine state of preservation, this bow comes from the private collection of one of the most respected experts in Hill bows.
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A good Hill bow from 1936, made by Arthur Scarbrow. Branded “Hill” and with a plain frog with no back plate, this is nonetheless a great player’s bow in excellent condition.
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Here’s a great and very affordable Sartory violin bow with a replacement adjuster – it’s a typically robust player and in excellent condition.
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Nicolas Simon (also known as Simon Fr.) is a superb maker whose life and origins are still poorly documented. All we can say with certainty is that he made exceptional bows broadly in the style of Peccatte. This example is a great player’s bow, and very affordable thanks to a couple of minor condition issues.
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This is a very fine Joseph Henry in excellent condition. I have a particular soft spot for Henry, and this bow doesn’t disappoint in looks or in playability. It’s a top level bow for a serious professional.
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Sartory bows are universally admired for their reliablilty and for their quality of workmanship. This is a lovely early example from Sartory’s best period – the condition is very good, and it’s a spectacular player.
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FX Tourte is without question the greatest maker in the history of bow-making. Here we have a terrific FX Tourte stick in excellent condition, with mounts of the period probably by Francois Lupot II.
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This is a remarkable early Hill bow in gold and tortoiseshell made by Sydney Yeoman. It’s in exceptional condition for its age – a highly desirable collector’s item but also a great playing bow.
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This is an exceptional gold-mounted Sartory violin bow, formerly the property of the renowned French violinist Jacques Thibaud. It’s a remarkable bow in every way.
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EA Ouchard is probably the greatest of 20th century French makers, and this is the finest example we have seen. Gold mounted, spectacular wood, amazing condition, and most importantly a great player’s bow.
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Ansaldo Poggi is the most highy valued violinmaker of the 20th century, and here we have a rare viola in mint condition. An outstanding collector’s piece and a beautiful sounding instrument.
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Here we have a very attractive middle period James Tubbs violin bow, engraved DM/MD to the ferrule. Exceptional flamed pernambuco, a strong yet supple stick, and a gorgeous sound.
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As you probably know, we have something of a soft spot for the Prague makers, and we’re very pleased to have a violin by Ferdinand Lantner, a lesser known but very accomplished maker of the late 19th century. It has a couple of minor repairs but overall it’s an excellent reference example with an outstanding tone.
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FW Chanot belongs to a distinguished line of violin-makers and experts. This violin is a beautifully preserved del Gesu copy with a powerful and supremely well balanced tone.
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Antonín Pilaš belonged to one of the great Czech violin-making dynasties, members of which are still active today. This is a very well preserved example of his wartime production – it’s a great sounding instrument with a big bright sound.
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Francesco Maurizi is a relatively obscure maker from the Marche region of central Italy. His violins are much admired for their quality of sound, though the construction can be quite hurried. This viola is a great example, with an unusually deep and noble sound for its size.
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This is a violin which has so far resisted all attempts at identification. Made in the copy style, most likely by the Dollenz family in Trieste, it’s an outstanding concert instrument with a rich, complex, bright voice.
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This is a fine Hardanger by the highly respected early 20th century maker Torleiv Frøysaa. It’s a beautiful sounding instrument with 4 sympathetic strings in good playing condition.
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Jacques Pierre Thibout is considered to be one of the best Parisian makers of the early 19th century. We have two violins of his at the moment, this one very much a player’s instrument with some minor restoration and a big bold sound.
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This is a very good modern Czech violin by Vilém Kužel. Meticulous craftsmanship on a Guarneri model, fine materials and an excellent sound.
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This is an exceptional example of the work of Julius Hubička, a highly productive but maddeningly inconsistent maker of the early 20th century. This particular violin ticks all the boxes – great sound, great condition, great price.
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An exceptional gold-mounted bow in unused condition by one of the most esteemed German makers of the 20th century.
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Louis Gillet is best known for his collaboration with Eugène Sartory,. Here we have a very fine Sartory inspired viola bow in excellent condition, and with playing qualities very similar to a good Sartory.
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Karel Pilař is one of a small group of talented makers active in Prague and Czechoslovakia in the mid 20th century. This is a typical example of his Strad-inspired model in excellent condition – it’s an outstanding players’s violin with a powerful yet refined tone.
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This is a rare del Gesu copy by one of the most interesting of late 19th century French makers, Joseph Hel. It’s an unusually fine sounding example of this maker’s work in very good condition.
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Here we have another excellent Paul Bailly from 1890 – it’s a very responsive instrument in excellent condition, and a great example of this maker’s work.
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This is a very fine viola by Piero Parravicini, a student of Antoniazzi and a prolific and successful maker. It’s an excellent size and the sound is rich and powerful.
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This is a rare and very pretty violin by the 18th century Dutch maker Jacques LeFebvre – it’s a superb sounding instrument in good restored condition.
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Another great Fétique bow, this one gold-mounted – a heavy but lively bow for a power player, and in very good condition.
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This is a remarkable small viola by Giuseppe Rocca in a very pure state of preservation, and with a tonal quality that’s quite astounding for the size.
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This is a fine Italian viola of ideal proportions made by Marino Capicchioni in 1954 – it’s an unusually attractive example in excellent condition, with a big and bold sound.
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This is a fine early Collin-Mézin violin in excellent condition, and with a characteristically bold and rich sound.
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This is a very nice cello bow by EF Ouchard, a prolific and undervalued maker. It’s in good condition and plays very well.
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This is a very fine and rare example of the work of Célestin Clasquin. It’s a great playing bow in beautiful condition.
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This is a good Louis Morizot bow made very affordable by a replacement button – otherwise the condition is excellent and the bow plays beautifully.
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This is a great early James Tubbs viola bow made for WE Hill whose brand it bears. It’s in a very fine state of preservation and it’s an unusually versatile player.
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Contact us for more information on this Castello School Viola or look for similar violas here.
Contact us for more information on this Karel Pilar Violin or look for similar violins here.
Contact us for more information on this EA Ouchard Cello bow or look for similar cello bows here.
Contact us for more information on this Pierre Silvestre Violin or look for similar violins here.
Contact us for more information on this Otakar Spidlen Violin or look for similar violins here
This is an exceptional bow by one of the greatest of the French makers, Etienne Pajeot. It plays beautifully and the condition is outstanding.
Mounts: nickel/ebony
Dimensions: length 74.5cm weight 58.8 grams
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Look at other violin bows like this.
This is a unique early Sartory bow in superb condition – it’s a highly collectable bow but it also has a unique clarity of tone.
Mounts: silver/ebony
Dimensions: length 74.35cm, weight 61.5 grams
Certificate: Raffin-Le Canu-Bigot, Paris 2017 
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Look at our other collectable French violin bows
This is a spectacular gold mounted Sartory in excellent condition, and with the playing qualities you would expect from this maker’s best work.
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This is a beautifully preserved early Hill bow, the work of William Napier according to the late Bill Watson. Well balanced, a great weight, and a clear full tone.
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Here we have a beautifully preserved cello bow by JA Vigneron, a highly respected maker of the late 19th century.
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This is an exceptional cello bow by Joseph Henry, one of the greatest of 19th century makers.
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This is a fine violin by Nicolo Gagliano, made in 1761 and bearing its original label. It’s a particularly attractive example with a sublime tone.
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This is a lovely violin from the late 19th century bearing an authentic Silvestre label, but most likely a bought-in Mirecourt instrument. It has a terrific sound, and it would be ideal for a talented young player.
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This is a rather beautiful violin which used to be a Bisiach pretending to be a Guiseppe Rocca! It’s a great example of the early 20th century Berlin copy style with a very fine sound.
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This is an exceptional sounding insturment made around 1800 in the Prague/Vienna school. It’s one of the best sounding violins we have in stock, and worthy of a top level player.
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Nicolas Simon (also known as Simon Fr.) is a superb maker whose life and origins are still poorly documented. All we can say with certainty is that he made exceptional bows broadly in the style of Peccatte.
Marcel Lapierre is a highly under-rated French maker, and his bows represent exceptional value for money. This is a well preserved example with great playing qualities.
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Another great bow by Marie Louis Piernot, an early 20th century maker whose star is on the rise. First class workmanship, very good condition and a big earthy sound.
This is a very fine example of the work of Marie Louis Piernot, one of the more under-rated of early 20th century makers. The bow is in excellent condition and draws a mighty sound.
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Claude Thomassin was a very talented and highy individual maker. Here we have a nickel mounted example in near mint condition with a typically refined and luminous sound.
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This is a fine Jules Fétique violin bow with outstanding playing qualities, dating from around 1925. It’s lovely looking bow in very good condition.
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This is a lovely late James Tubbs, an unusually strong and responsive stick for this maker, and in top condition.
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This is an exceptional gold-mounted Lamy cello bow in near-mint condition.
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Hulinsky is one of the most interesting Prague makers of the 18th century, and this is a very refined example of his work. Beautiful craftsmanship, great wood, and a first class sound.
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This is a particularly nice example of Marcel Lapierre’s work – made with unusually fine wood, and with excellent playing qualities.
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Jean Persoit is one of the most hallowed names in bow-making, really the only maker to rival FX Tourte. Here we have a restored example that is nonetheless quite beautiful and an outstanding player’s bow.
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Everyone is familiar with the quality of Hill bows – here we have a very early silver and ivory example from around 1900 bearing the maker’s mark of William Johnston (first mark with vertical nicks). The sound is first class and the condition is unusually good.
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Georges Chanot is generally regarded as the finest French violin maker after Nicolas Lupot. He was a renowned conoisseur of Italian violins, and his del Gesu copies are particularly sought after. This is a great example, and the sound is as good as it gets.
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This is the second bow we have by Hermann Prell, whose main claim to fame was the fact that he worked briefly for Sartory. Here we have a fine silver-mounted example in unblemished condition, and a great all-round player.
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There are Hill bows and Hill bows … and this is about as good as you can get, a chased gold and tortoiseshell fleur de lys bow in mint condition. And it plays!
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This is a fine gold mounted Hill bow from 1957, the stick made by Arthur Copley. It’s in excellent condition and its playing qualities are quintessentially Hill – unpretentious and utterly reliable!
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This is a rare and exquisite gold and tortoiseshell HR Pfretzschner from around 1920. It’s in excellent condition and it plays beautifully with a muscular warm sound.
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This is a beautifully made viola bow by contemporary French maker Stéphane Muller, bearing the serial number 9589. The wood is outstanding, the condition is very good, and the sound is bold and solistic.
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François Peccatte, brother of Dominique, is a maker whose star is in the ascendant. His preference for nickel and for unusual woods has to some extent obscured the quality of his making, but this bow is stunning.
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This is a beautiful modern Italian violin by GB Gaibisso, a lesser known but very talented Ligurian maker. It’s in perfect condition and has a great sound.
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This is an exceptional bow by Alf Tubbs, dedicated to the 1900 the winner of the Stainer Prize, Dora Robins. Slightly short and light, what was described at the time as a “ladies’ bow”, nonetheless a terrific player and a uniquely collectable Tubbs.
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