Kurt Werner Uebel Violin Bow- Gopplasgrün circa 1950-1955

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Stamped:

Since 1892 the Uebel name has been associated with fine bow making. Werner Uebel (1928 – 2007) learned the craft of bow making in Gopplasgrün from 1946-1948 from his father, Kurt Uebel. This town is east of Markneukirchen and north of the town of Erlbach know in its day as the Saxony Region. K.W. Uebel has a son and grandson who continue the business, now in its 5th generation. After completing his training, Kurt Werner continued working in his dad’s workshop. In 1952 he did his master’s examination in bow making in Markneukirchen and began to work independently. Through close contact and cooperation with musicians as well as his own initiative he was able to continuously improve the quality of his bows. In 1969 at the Lüttich exhibition he was awarded the silver medal for the bow he submitted. This was excellent recognition for his high level of craftsmanship. In 1976 he was also awarded the title “Anerkannter Kunsthandwerker” which translates to “Recognized Artistic Craftsman.” Werner’s style is classic and shows the technical execution of 20th century Markneukirchen bow making. In his early years of bow making 1948 -1960 his bows were stamped K. W. UEBEL like our stick. He later changed his stamp to K. WERNER UEBEL, with an additional coat-of-arms on the frog.

This is the first time in my life I have had the opportunity to work and restore one of his bows. It is a fine bow! The more I studied it and got to know the stick the more impressed I was. I like the chamfers in the head and the strength in the head/tip. The overall head is slightly smaller in stature than typical Markneukirchen bows. The stick is well proportioned, no extra weight or girth needed. The pernambuco wood is choice, a dark orange/brown color. The bow is only oiled and grabs my attention. The stick is round in section and the frog is sterling silver mounted. I gave the bow a new facial tip in tip armor and a new silver winding with a thumb grip in goat leather. The frog is sophisticated, a “blind eye” classic look which I love. The button is a solid silver cap with two turns in the collar. The lining is mounted to the frog with two silver screws. It is a 75 year old bow in excellent condition. It is a “Wow” for sure and a part of the Markneukirchen area history.

Weight fully haired 59.5 grams