This is a very fine gold-mounted Franz Albert Nürnberger dating from around 1920 – it’s a great example of the best German work, both in workmanship and in its playing qualities.
The Markneukirchen branch of the Nürnberger family have always commanded respect from bow-lovers, even from lovers of French bows. Their work is always precise and aesthetically pleasing, and the materials always first class.
The Franz Albert era is without doubt the best period in the workshop’s history, and the gold bows are the finest examples of his work. This bow makes the grade in all respects – it’s beautifully worked, the wood is great, and it plays superbly.
The stick is of octagonal section orange pernambuco with a light fleck, mounts are gold and ebony with a pinned 3-part adjuster.
The condition is excellent – there’s some minor wear to the handle and a well repaired crack in the player’s side of the frog 2 mm from the bottom edge.
At 62 grams this is a substantial bow, but it doesn’t feel heavy at all. The balance is ideal and the stick is lively and responsive. There’s definitely a lot under the bonnet, and it puts out a lot of sound, but it never feels sluggish or unwieldy.
The sound is fruity without being dark – just a hint of coffee grounds, very much what we think of as the Nürnberger sound.
This would be a great bow for the big Romantic repertoire – a rounded but projecting sound and endless reserves of power.
