FN Voirin Cello Bow, Paris circa 1880

François Nicolas Voirin is the most highly regarded maker of the late 19th century – his work is particularly admired for its precision and beauty. This cello bow dates from his first period as an independent maker – it’s in excellent condition and it’s a good weight for a Voirin.

FN Voirin was an unusually talented maker, and this is a great example of his work. With Voirin everything is perfectly executed, all aspects of the model are unique yet totally right, and the whole thing exudes class.

This bow has a round stick of light orange-brown pernambuco with a nice random figure – mounts are silver and ebony. The condition is generally very good – there is a well restored crack to the stick at the frog mounting, reinforced with an inernal bushing, and there are some tiny chips to the frog edges.