Marcel Fétique Copyist Workshop Violin Bow – German or Eastern European Skills circa 1980

click picture to enlarge

Stamped:

This is the work of a good copyist, a replica bow bearing the name Mcel Fétique a Paris on the bow. I don’t know the exact maker, but they knew bow work, had great skills, and made a great playing stick. The bow sports great bones and speaks for itself but alas it is not French, nor was it made by this French Parisian maker. This bow was made in workshop by someone who knew how to generate sound off a violin and showed off his skills by copying and taking the Fétique name.

Marcel Gaston Fétique (1899-1977) was a fine bow maker who earned many awards for making in his lifetime. He was the son of and assistant to his famous father, Victor François. He was born in Mirecourt and died in Paris in 1977. At the age of 2 his family moved to Paris. Marcel began his studies with his father in 1913 and by 1930 he opened his own workshop in Paris. When copyists want to copy bows or take their name for a bow, they usually go for the best: E. Ouchard, TOURTE, E. Sartory, and this bow, Fétique. This is not uncommon in the string instrument industry. The bow is not being sold as a French bow.

This bow has merit. The frog is silver mounted, and I gave the stick a sterling silver winding and new leather. The bow is in top condition and will generate a huge amount of sound off your violin. The pernambuco stick is strong – firm and in octagonal section. The wood is choice tight grain wood. It was selected by a bow maker who had great knife skills, finger plane control to make the facets, and chisel skills. The head on the bow is typical German work; it is a smaller head and doesn’t flange in the back like a true Fétique. The bow is branded with the correct name for Mcel Fétique. The frog is Parisian eye ebony with large, rounded chamfers. The feel of the frog in my hand is beautiful, almost delicate, and smooth. The frog edges are tastefully round, nothing sharp. The pearl eyes and the slide have beautiful color. The slide is wider at the ferrule side than at the heel. The heel of the bow is two pieces with pins – nice to see. The silver lining is curved to mate with the inlaid track in the pernambuco wood.

The bow is in excellent condition throughout and shows minimal playing wear. The bow is strong yet responsive, it is so very capable of drawing a big sound. The legato stokes will give a player a warm and resonate sound, while it handled off the string articulations without a problem. This bow is for the player looking for a stick that is wonderfully comfortable in the hand and will create a big resonant sound off your violin. Yes, the pernambuco is firm but yields a little flex. This bow is a sleeper, no know maker at a fair price for a silver bow.

Weight fully haired 63.0 grams