Marco Raposo French Model Pernambuco Bass Bow – Brazil 2014

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We have a fine bow made by the Raposo workshop. When Marco visits the shop with his bows we usually spend more time talking theology than bow making. Which is great. One of the reasons I enjoy bows is getting to know different makers from various countries. Marco has a fine workshop in Brazill and used to have a studio in New York City. He is a visionary in the bow world, planting pernambuco for decades in hopes that one day a great grandchild will be able to harvest the wood and make bows from his efforts. This bow used reclaimed pernambuco. This means that the wood came from old fences, old construction of barns and railroad ties made from pernambuco wood in Brazil. Most of Raposo’s reclaimed wood being used dates back the early or mid-20th century. The wood was then cut to be dried in certain formations for a few decades before being used in a bow. Marco once stated that after finding and cutting the reclaimed wood he would use the best pieces which came out to be only about 20% of what was discovered. Wow, that is a lot of waste. Yes, Marco is very picky. The wood in the bow is choice stuff.

Marco’s bows are excellent. Makers like Marco come to the shop and I go through their bows, selecting by hand each stick for the shop and many times I purchased the entire box. Marco would bring hundreds of bows for me to look over every year.

This nickel mounted bow was made in 2014. The stick was completely gone over here at the shop, and it is in very good condition. The bow is pernambuco, round in section, and completed with a nickel winding and a nickel mounted fully-lined frog. The bow is cleaned up, silver polished, and given fresh hair. The stick is firm with the frog model being Parisian eye model and three-piece endscrew button.

Length of the bow 697.0 mm.
Balance Point on the bow 234.0 mm.

Weight fully haired 135.6 grams