£32,500
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.
I have shown this bow to a couple of experts – the response is always the same …”wow”. What makes it special is that it’s a beautifully preserved example of Sartory’s early style, which combines the elegance of his master JA Lamy with his own evolving and highly successful approach to balance and graduation.
The bow is original in all parts – the plain pearl eye is typical of this period, but the adjuster with its long central ring is a unique “retro” touch. The stick is of round section red-brown pernambuco of very high quality, mounts are silver and ebony.
The condition is excellent – even the ivory face is original. The only issue to point out is a small split in the ebony of the adjuster, clearly visible in the photos.
This bow isn’t cheap, but it really ticks all the boxes. I would characterise it as a turbo-charged Lamy, in that it has all the quality of a great Lamy without the weakness or lack of rigidity which is always their undoing.
The balance point is relatively high up the stick, giving a real sense of heft for the weight of the bow. The spring is fantastic, very responsive yet controllable, and the tone is hard to beat – super-clean yet full and robust. I would describe this bow as “surgical” – it will do exactly what you tell it to – and if you’re looking for a way of fluffing the edges of a harsh sounding violin, it’s the wrong bow. But if you want to bring out the beauty of what’s there, and if you have your bowing arm well under control, this bow seems to have limitless potential.
It’s a delight to offer a Sartory which is issue-free, and which actually seems to justify its rather alarming value in the marketplace!
Mounts: silver/ebony
Dimensions: length 74.35cm, weight 61.5 grams
Certificate: Raffin-Le Canu-Bigot, Paris 2017 
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Ref: SR166
