Non-Stamped German Violin Bow Markneukirchen c. 1930 – SOLD DECEMBER 15, 2023 –

$465.00


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The hub of German bow making for two centuries was the area of Markneukirchen. Many shops specialized in making bows because of the tremendous output of the violins being made. Our bow is one of those non-labeled violin bows made for the trade. This stick made its way as an export to our country with a case and an instrument prior to World War II. This is another bow I obtained as a young guy growing up in the New York/ New Jersey area in the 1970’s and early 1980’s. I started getting serious about my violin playing and apprenticeship work at the age of 13. My dad and I would spend many Saturdays going to sales and estate auctions purchasing old violins and really any string instrument. I have over 500 older bows still to restore in the workshop. The collection of bows is of various qualities and each project takes many hours of work to restore. On this bow the old worn-out winding, which was actually old gummy petrified masking tape, was removed with a struggle. Next, I laid into the stick itself, cleaning it with some strong solvents revealing some beautiful dark brown pernambuco wood. Then I replaced the winding with its original intent of nickel silver and a new leather thumb grip. The silver work brought up the gram weight of the bow where it needed to be before new hair. The frog cleaned up well and is a Parisian eye ebony frog with colorful pearl. The endscrew is three pieces: silver/ebony/silver with a beautiful green hue pearl at the very end. The older pernambuco wood is almost milk chocolate in color. Beautiful. The bow plays well, it is light in the hand, and has no issues.

Weight fully haired 60.0 grams.