Hermann W. Prell Fine Violin Bow – Markneukirchen circa 1905

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We have a fantastic Hermann Wilhelm Prell violin bow. It is mounted in sterling silver, round in section, and I love everything about this bow. It’s in very good condition: I gave the stick a thorough cleaning, replaced the pearls, and cut a new tip. The bow was well played before I acquired it as the pearl eyes and slide were well worn, almost paper thin, and had to be replaced in the frog. This work of Hermann Wilhem Prell (1875-1925) is from the turn of the century circa 1905. I acquired the bow sometime between 1976-1985 as my dad helped me collect violin, violas, and many nice older German bows for almost a decade while growing up in the New York City/New Jersey area. My collection grew until I moved out when I got married in 1985. This bow has been in my collection for roughly 45 years, now restored with a new facial tip, mother-of-pearl eyes, and a new mother-of-pearl slide. It is an excellent example of a Prell bow that shows the influence of E. Sartory. Prell learned the art of bow making in Markneukirchen from Henrich Hoyer between 1890-1893. His journeyman’s years were spent working for Albert Nürnberger from 1893-1895 and August Rau in 1896. The period from 1897-1898 was spent in Paris with E. Sartory. H. W. Prell came back to set up his own shop in Markneukirchen in 1899.

The bow was made in Markneukirchen using tight grain pernambuco with clarity into the wood. It is a beautiful orange/brown color. The bow is firm and has good balance and playability. This is old dense wood that I’m sure was harvested in Brazil in the mid to late 1800’s. The stick is lovely, and the head of the bow shows the Parisian influence. The bow has a tip facial that is stiff appearing on the flat plate surface. The ferrule on the frog is slightly wider, and the mother-of-pearl slide is slightly wider at the ferrule end than at the heel. The slide is mother-of-pearl for the full length and butts up to the silver heel. The frog is Parisian eye with two silver pins holding the heel in place and holding the button in place. The silver lining has been secured with two fine screws. The bow is round in section and mounted in sterling silver fittings. The entire bow shows off Prell’s craftsmanship: his execution and knife work in the head, the camber, the delicacy in the shaping of the stick, the silver work in the frog and the button, and the detail in his tolerances. This was a great bow to work on and study. The bow is ready for a serious player to enjoy on their instrument.

• Balance point is @ 24.4 cm
• Dimensions of the bow are 74.5 cm in length including the silver adjuster

Weight fully haired 58.7 grams