Martin Swan Violins Riccardo Genovese was the principal student of Annibale Fagnola, but his work is softer and the sound always more successful. This is a fine example in great condition with a powerful and very even sound.
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This is a very attractive viola bow by Marcel Lapierre. Branded twice and dated 1960 under the frog, it’s in excellent condition – it’s also a remarkable player for its price.
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Yet one more excellent Hill bow, this time a fine early gold and tortoiseshell example with a stick by WIlliam Johnston, the frog bearing marks for Bultitude. Some wear to the stick but generally in very fine condition, and a lovely golden tone.
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Louis Gillet is best known as the maker of many late Sartory bows, but he was a formidable maker in his own right. This is an unusually attactive example – a very well balanced stick in top condition.
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This is a very fine violin bow by Charles Claude Husson, one of the last makers to join the Vuillaume workshop. It’s in excellent condition and an outstanding player with a bright, open sound.
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Hippolyte Camille Lamy is one of the most precise and gifted makers of the early 20th century – here we have an exceptional gold and ivory viola bow in mint condition.
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This beautiful bow is one of the best Nürnbergers we have seen, and without doubt the finest we have ever had for sale. It’s a gold mounted example in excellent condition with exceptional playing qualities.
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Here we have a near-mint Carl Albert Nürnberger, a splendid, austere looking bow with a big fruity sound.
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Jules Fétique has a bit of a cult following amongst bow aficionados. This is a lovely example made during his time at Caressa & Français, currently in very good condition.
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Fornaciari Jr. bows are made in Brazil and are very popular in the US. There’s a wide range of models – this bow is at the top of the range, made with excellent pernambuco and with full silver mounts.
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Another good Hill violin bow, this time the work of Sydney Yeoman – very well preserved, and a strong, smooth player.
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This is a good Hill bow made by Frank Napier, who worked for Hills between 1900 and 1930. It’s in good condition and plays beautifully.
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Claude Thomassin is one of the most undervalued makers of the early 20th century, and his bows are finally being recognized for their originality. Although still affordable, we are seeing values rising quite dramatically in the last 3-4 years. This example has a typically direct yet refined sound – the condition is excellent though the adjuster is a later copy.
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Branded WE H&S, this remarkable bow was made by Willam R. Retford (son of William C Retford) around 1930. A very responsive player of an ideal weight, in a fine state of preservation, this bow comes from the private collection of one of the most respected experts in Hill bows.
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A good Hill bow from 1936, made by Arthur Scarbrow. Branded “Hill” and with a plain frog with no back plate, this is nonetheless a great player’s bow in excellent condition.
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Here’s a great and very affordable Sartory violin bow with a replacement adjuster – it’s a typically robust player and in excellent condition.
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Nicolas Simon (also known as Simon Fr.) is a superb maker whose life and origins are still poorly documented. All we can say with certainty is that he made exceptional bows broadly in the style of Peccatte. This example is a great player’s bow, and very affordable thanks to a couple of minor condition issues.
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This is a very fine Joseph Henry in excellent condition. I have a particular soft spot for Henry, and this bow doesn’t disappoint in looks or in playability. It’s a top level bow for a serious professional.
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This is a remarkable early Hill bow in gold and tortoiseshell made by Sydney Yeoman. It’s in exceptional condition for its age – a highly desirable collector’s item but also a great playing bow.
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Here we have a very attractive middle period James Tubbs violin bow, engraved DM/MD to the ferrule. Exceptional flamed pernambuco, a strong yet supple stick, and a gorgeous sound.
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As you probably know, we have something of a soft spot for the Prague makers, and we’re very pleased to have a violin by Ferdinand Lantner, a lesser known but very accomplished maker of the late 19th century. It has a couple of minor repairs but overall it’s an excellent reference example with an outstanding tone.
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FW Chanot belongs to a distinguished line of violin-makers and experts. This violin is a beautifully preserved del Gesu copy with a powerful and supremely well balanced tone.
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Antonín Pilaš belonged to one of the great Czech violin-making dynasties, members of which are still active today. This is a very well preserved example of his wartime production – it’s a great sounding instrument with a big bright sound.
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Jacques Pierre Thibout is considered to be one of the best Parisian makers of the early 19th century. We have two violins of his at the moment, this one very much a player’s instrument with some minor restoration and a big bold sound.
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This is a very good modern Czech violin by Vilém Kužel. Meticulous craftsmanship on a Guarneri model, fine materials and an excellent sound.
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This is an exceptional example of the work of Julius Hubička, a highly productive but maddeningly inconsistent maker of the early 20th century. This particular violin ticks all the boxes – great sound, great condition, great price.
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Louis Gillet is best known for his collaboration with Eugène Sartory,. Here we have a very fine Sartory inspired viola bow in excellent condition, and with playing qualities very similar to a good Sartory.
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Here we have another excellent Paul Bailly from 1890 – it’s a very responsive instrument in excellent condition, and a great example of this maker’s work.
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This is a rare and very pretty violin by the 18th century Dutch maker Jacques LeFebvre – it’s a superb sounding instrument in good restored condition.
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Another great Fétique bow, this one gold-mounted – a heavy but lively bow for a power player, and in very good condition.
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This is a remarkable small viola by Giuseppe Rocca in a very pure state of preservation, and with a tonal quality that’s quite astounding for the size.
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This is a fine Italian viola of ideal proportions made by Marino Capicchioni in 1954 – it’s an unusually attractive example in excellent condition, with a big and bold sound.
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This is a beautifully preserved early Hill bow, the work of William Napier according to the late Bill Watson. Well balanced, a great weight, and a clear full tone.
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Here we have a beautifully preserved cello bow by JA Vigneron, a highly respected maker of the late 19th century.
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This is an exceptional cello bow by Joseph Henry, one of the greatest of 19th century makers.
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This is a fine violin by Nicolo Gagliano, made in 1761 and bearing its original label. It’s a particularly attractive example with a sublime tone.
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This is a rather beautiful violin which used to be a Bisiach pretending to be a Guiseppe Rocca! It’s a great example of the early 20th century Berlin copy style with a very fine sound.
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Marcel Lapierre is a highly under-rated French maker, and his bows represent exceptional value for money. This is a well preserved example with great playing qualities.
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This is a very fine example of the work of Marie Louis Piernot, one of the more under-rated of early 20th century makers. The bow is in excellent condition and draws a mighty sound.
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Claude Thomassin was a very talented and highy individual maker. Here we have a nickel mounted example in near mint condition with a typically refined and luminous sound.
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This is an exceptional gold-mounted Lamy cello bow in near-mint condition.
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Hulinsky is one of the most interesting Prague makers of the 18th century, and this is a very refined example of his work. Beautiful craftsmanship, great wood, and a first class sound.
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This is a particularly nice example of Marcel Lapierre’s work – made with unusually fine wood, and with excellent playing qualities.
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Everyone is familiar with the quality of Hill bows – here we have a very early silver and ivory example from around 1900 bearing the maker’s mark of William Johnston (first mark with vertical nicks). The sound is first class and the condition is unusually good.
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Georges Chanot is generally regarded as the finest French violin maker after Nicolas Lupot. He was a renowned conoisseur of Italian violins, and his del Gesu copies are particularly sought after. This is a great example, and the sound is as good as it gets.
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This is the second bow we have by Hermann Prell, whose main claim to fame was the fact that he worked briefly for Sartory. Here we have a fine silver-mounted example in unblemished condition, and a great all-round player.
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This is a fine gold mounted Hill bow from 1957, the stick made by Arthur Copley. It’s in excellent condition and its playing qualities are quintessentially Hill – unpretentious and utterly reliable!
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This is a rare and exquisite gold and tortoiseshell HR Pfretzschner from around 1920. It’s in excellent condition and it plays beautifully with a muscular warm sound.
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This is a beautifully made viola bow by contemporary French maker Stéphane Muller, bearing the serial number 9589. The wood is outstanding, the condition is very good, and the sound is bold and solistic.
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François Peccatte, brother of Dominique, is a maker whose star is in the ascendant. His preference for nickel and for unusual woods has to some extent obscured the quality of his making, but this bow is stunning.
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This is a beautiful modern Italian violin by GB Gaibisso, a lesser known but very talented Ligurian maker. It’s in perfect condition and has a great sound.
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This is an exceptional bow by Alf Tubbs, dedicated to the 1900 the winner of the Stainer Prize, Dora Robins. Slightly short and light, what was described at the time as a “ladies’ bow”, nonetheless a terrific player and a uniquely collectable Tubbs.
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Johannes Franciscus Cuypers (II) was the last in a long line of Dutch makers. All Cuypers instruments share very similar traits, and all are highly prized for their superb tonal qualities. This is a lovely and fine sounding example in great condition.
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Eugène Sartory is probably the most popular maker of all time, and his bows are the mainstay of professional musicians the world over. Here we have a very fine cello stick from his best period, very well preserved and of an ideal weight. The mounts are well-fitting copies, probably made for the bow.
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This is a very fine Peccatte model viola bow made by Michael Taylor for Ealing Strings. The property of a professional player, it’s in excellent condition and draws a big sound.
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This is a very attractive small viola made in Mittenwald in the early 1800s. It’s in good condition and it has surprisingly warm and full sound.
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Dominique Peccatte bows are highly prized for their playing qualities, and this one is a dream, strong yet supple in a uniquely 19th century way. The frog is also Dominique Peccatte but from another bow, and the price reflects this.
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Jacques-Pierre Thibout is perhaps the most artistic of the Parisian makers. He was a contemporary of Nicholas Lupot, and if he had made faithful Strad copies rather than pursuing his own model he would probably be the better known maker. Here we have a beautiful example in immaculate condition – definitely the finest Thibout I have seen and the best sounding too.
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FN Voirin is one of the greatest names in bow-making. Although his bows haven’t become a currency in the way that Sartory bows have, he is generally regarded as the better maker. While his bows are inevitably lighter, they have unparalleled elegance and are renowned for their quality of sound.
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This is a rare early Pfretzschner with some unusual features, made as a copy of an earlier French bow. A great bow for classical repertoire, with a beautiful and luminous tone.
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This is a fine sounding Mirecourt 7/8 violin, ideal for a smaller player, and very affordable.
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Arthur Bultitude is a highly respected English maker who spent much of his working life at Hills. On leaving the Hill shop he specialised in exquisite bows with ornamental frogs such as this lovely viola bow.
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WE Hill & Son bows come in many grades and levels of quality, but this bow must be one of the the best examples. A great player’s bow too, and in unusually fine condition.
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Charles Bazin was the last of a long line of Mirecourt makers, working alongside his father Louis Bazin for most of his life. He was a very consistent maker, and this bow is a superb player as you would expect.
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This is a classic 1930s Nürnberger bow in mint condition, and a very solid player drawing a big tone.
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Jerome Thibouville-Lamy, or JTL, is one of the best-known names in the violin trade. The JTL mega-workshops in the Vosges produced hundreds of thousands of violins from the late 19th century to the mid 20th century. Mostly these were student violins which have remained popular on account of their excellent sound. But they also produced beautiful handmade “violons de maitre”, most likely the work of Alfred Acoulon – these were signed and numbered, and sold at the time for 10 times the price of their ever-popular Barnabetti-labelled instruments.
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This is a rather superior modern German bow with decorative mounts – it’s a stiff and powerful stick in a shorter length, ideal for a smaller player.
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Emile Ouchard is one of the more undervalued of French makers, largely because he worked in Mirecourt rather than Paris. Here we have a very nice and typical example in excellent condition.
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This is a lovely French viola bow of the Ouchard/Cuniot-Hury type, made in Mirecourt around 1930. Quite light in weight but packing a punch, this is a very versatile bow which draws a full and elegant sound.
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Georges Chanot is widely regarded as one of the greatest French makers, with a very personal style and a great reputation for tone. This example is an early Strad model, very artistic and with a phenomenal sound.
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This is a lovely Mittenwald “Verleger” violin in outstanding condition, with a bright zingy sound that’s full of character.
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For a long time Giovanni Dollenz’s rare ability as a maker has been attributed to some connection with Storioni – such stories sell violins! Whatever his influences, he was a maker with a dashing and individual style. The violins in the 1850s were made in collaboration with his son Giuseppe, who is regarded as in every way the equal of his father.
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Gand & Bernardel were the largest and most prestigious Parisian workshop of the late 19th century. To a great extent they took on the mantle of JB Vuillaume, adopting similar working practices, employing excellent makers and also producing beautiful bows.
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Emile Auguste Ouchard is one of the most highly valued bow makers of the 20th century. His style is individual and very precise, and the playing qualities of his bows are rarely surpassed. Many professionals use an EA Ouchard. This fine viola bow from his New York period is a very good example, powerful yet responsive and with a huge sound.
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Pierre Simon is one of the great bowmakers of the mid 19th century, closely associated with Dominique Peccatte and Joseph Henry, but working in his own distinctive manner. Simon bows engender a quite fanatical devotion on the part of their owners – their combination of robustness and agility is unique.
This bow is a composite – all by Simon, but the mounts from another bow. There are some signs of use but generally the bow is in excellent condition.
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Joseph Alfred Lamy (or Lamy Père) stands slightly in the shadow of his teacher and mentor FN Voirin, but his work oozes elegance and finesse. Lamy’s cello bows are particularly fine, with the most beautiful elongated head shape. This is a lovely example in fine condition – deep red round section pernambuco stick, silver and ebony mounts with a plain eye and 3-part adjuster.
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Hermann Prell was a superb Markneukirchen maker who apprenticed with Nürnberger and then famously worked as a journeyman for Sartory. Here we have a beautiful gold-mounted bow of his in excellent condition.
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Alessandro Carlesso makes superb bows from Brazilian pernambuco – his work is very fine and the wood is outstanding. This bow has a round stick of very dark wood and is silver mounted with an ornamental adjuster.
A very dense stick, giving a lot of power for the weight – not brand new but with minimal wear.
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Sometimes I think we should open up a shop just to sell Tubbs bows – we seem to be selling more and more, and it’s great to see this unique maker taking his rightful place. Here we have a very good and typical middle period example in great condition.
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FN Voirin is the most highly regarded maker of the late 19th century – his work is particularly admired for its precision and beauty. In spite of their lightness his bows are much in demand for their luminous tone. Here we have a lovely lightweight cello bow, very strong for its weight and in excellent condition.
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Collin-Mézin is one of the best known names in the violin trade. 19th century instruments made by CH JB Collin-Mézin offer great tone and great workmanship at an affordable price.
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This is a very handy viola bow made by François Lotte for Collin-Mézin, and bearing their brand. An all-round great player, and in excellent condition – however, the adjuster is nickel and not original to the stick.
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FN Voirin is close to the top of anyone’s list of makers. Here we are offering 4/5ths of a Voirin, since the upper fifth of the bow is a splice. However, the work is beautiful and the bow still has the special Voirin feeling.
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Another lovely cello bow by one of the more reliable 20th century makers. This example is very strong – the condition is excellent apart from a chip in the end of the stick by the adjuster and a bit of repairwork to the back plate.
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Emile F Ouchard is a highly underestimated maker, – here we have a great viola bow with the playing qualities so typical of this make – a strong yet very articulate stick, and a broad but focused sound. This is a well used bow with a slight dent behind the head on the audience side, otherwise in excellent condition.
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Although unbranded, this early Tubbs bow was most likely made for WE Hill & Son. It has all the strong characteristics of Tubbs’ work at this time – it’s very precisely made using beautiful and heavily flamed pernambuco. The condition is outstanding though the adjuster is from another bow of the period.
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This is a fine early period James Tubbs, made for Hills and bearing their brand on both sides of the handle. Unusually light in colour for a Tubbs – some minor condition issues but otherwise a stunning bow from this great if erratic maker.
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Michael Taylor is a great contemporary maker who spent most of his working life at Ealing Strings. Now living and working in Spain, Michael continues to make bows of unusual beauty.
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An exceptional gold mounted HR Pfretzschner violin bow in near perfect condition – and a big sound.
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Jean-François Aldric is one of the great names in French making, of the same generation as Lupot and Pique. In his later years he made superb Stradivari copies modelled on originals which he obtained from Luigi Tarisio, and our violin is one of these – a very faithful Strad copy displaying exquisite workmanship, with a real concert sound.
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The Albani family played a huge role in the development of violin-making, and yet their instruments are rarely seen. This violin is a very interesting example, following very closely on the work of Matthias but made by his son Michael. Always more successful tonally than Stainer (the other Tyrolean), this violin is no exception.
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This is a top of the range Hill viola bow in gold and ivory dating from 1937 – it’s in great condition and it plays beautifully.
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Jean (Grand) Adam is the best known and most highly valued of the Adam makers. He worked in the prestigious Vuillaume shop, but his bows are most often compared to those of FX Tourte.
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This is an unusually fine gold and ebony mounted bow from the Nürnberger shop, probably the work of Philipp Paul Nürnberger. It’s a beautiful example of the higher-end production of this workshop.
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Joseph Henry is in my opinion the greatest maker of the Peccatte school. This bow has a replacement frog and is quite worn, but it’s an exceptional player.
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Paul Weidhaas is one of the most respected of early 20th century German bow-makers. Here we have a fine cello bow made in the French style, and in unusually pristine condition.
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A good cello bow from the Bausch workshop, dating from the early 1900s.
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Etienne Pajeot is one of the great early French makers, and his bows are highly sought after for their excellent technical qualities. This is a relatively rare early cello bow in good condition.
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There are few professional players who don’t have a Hill in their case. The firm’s reputation for quality and reliability is well deserved, and the bows carrying the WE Hill & Sons brand are always in demand.
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Louis Morizot’s main claim to fame is his association with Sartory, yet he’s a great maker in his own right. Under his sons, the family name became rather associated with mass production and clunky student bows, but at the time this bow was made, a Morizot was a thing of great refinement and beauty.
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