Étienne Pajeot Violin Bow, Mirecourt circa 1825

Étienne Pajeot is one of the most important figures in the history of bow-making. This example is a top class player’s bow in very fine condition. The original frog is an experimental open ebony frog – we are offering the bow with an additional and more workable copy frog made by Yannick Le Canu.

There are very few people involved in historic bows who aren’t fascinated by Pajeot. He produced some of the most artistic bows of the 19th century, and was also a relentless innovator. He experimented heavily with different ways of hairing the bow, and during his working life his head model evolved out of all recognition. But above all he is revered for the genius of his sticks, and for some of the best performing bows ever made.

Here we have a relatively early Pajeot with a very refined head for the period. The stick is of octagonal section dark brown pernambuco of superb quality. The original frog is an open trench frog of plain ebony – the copy frog is silver and ebony, and styled on a known Pajeot frog from the same period. The button is original.

The condition of the stick is very good – there’s one small filled insect hole in the lower facet of the stick around the mid-point, and there are a few nibbles here and there. The original frog is unblemished.

In terms of pricing we consider this bow as a very fine and complete early Pajeot in original condition, suitable for a period player or a collector. The bow is offered here in modernised form with a copy frog that can be rehaired normally, but this in no way compromises the completeness or authenticity of the bow. Just remember to keep the original frog in a safe place!

I’m a big fan of Pajeot bows, and this one is a knockout. It has a big rounded tone with a beautiful shimmer, bristling with energy and intensity. It’s a great performer off the string, the legato is firm and deep, and there’s the added tonal complexity that seems to come with wood-to-wood mounts.

Like all the best early 19th century bows it just seems to have more of everything!

Highly recommended.