EA Ouchard Violin Bow, Mirecourt circa 1935

This is another classic EA Ouchard from the 1930s, made for and branded Paul JB Chipot. A powerful bow with an excellent sound and in great condition.

When it comes to 20th century French bows, EA Ouchard and Jules Fétique both play second fiddle to Sartory, yet their bows are generally better. EA Ouchard’s bows tend to have the strength and power that players look for in a Sartory, yet with a more lively action and a more direct tone.

This example has a round stick of dark red pernambuco, mounts are silver and ebony with a typically rounded heel to the frog.

The condition is generally excellent – all parts are original and there’s no wear to the handle or the frog. There’s a tiny chip in the lower edge of the frog on the audience side and the adjuster has a few scratches – there are also a couple of small dents and abrasions in the stick, but you have to look for them.

No surprises here – this is a great bow. Very strong without sacrifiing nuance, loud and bold in tone yet still clean and malleable. It will adapt itself to any repertoire, with enough sensitivity for Mozart and enough firepower for Bartok.

Perfectly balanced with the current lapping, firm yet controllable, exactly what we have come to expect from this maker.