This is an interesting and finely made German bow sold by Chanot of London towards the end of the 19th century. Excellent condition and a bright, nervy stick.
I have to admit that this bow is a bit of an enigma – I assume it’s a Voirin model made to commission for Chanot by one for the better Markneukirchen makers. It has rather beautiful and futuristic mounts featuring a full length silver slide and a plain silver button tapering slightly towards the end.
The stick is of round section orange permanbuco with a striking diagonal barred figure – mounts are silver and ebony.
The bow is in excellent condition with no issues – just some minor wear to the handle. The face plate appears to be original.
A lovely lightweight bow with a strong and clear voice. Bags of attack, excellent projection, and easy to throw around – in fact, whenever I play a good bow around 58 grams it feels like the perfect weight for a bow.
Great for classical or baroque repertoire but also stiff enough to handle the big stuff, this is a charming and beautifully conceived bow in every respect.
