Dealing fine bows violin cello viola New York

Etienne Pajeot (1791-1849)

Etienne Pajeot (1791-1849) was an exceptional and prolific bow-maker who started his journey with his father Louis Simon Pajeot. During his lifetime he would have other notable makers who he worked with. These included Joseph Fonclouse, Nicolas Maline, and Nicolas Maire.

Yung Chin

Yung Chin Viola bow inspired by Etienne Pajeot

Nicolas Remy Maire 1800-1878

Nicolas Remy Maire 1800-1878-Studied with most likely Pajeot , set own 1826, 1828 marries Anne Contal in Mirecourt , business known as Maire-Contal. Economic crises of 1830’s had a big impact on trade. Maire in fact went bankrupt and there is no record of him coming out of bankruptcy. He would work for others, Pajeot, Vuillaume, Gand , and Chanot at various times in his life. Other business names he used were Francois-Maire and Maire. He also had various stamps early stamp starting in 1826- N.Maire. N.Maire circa 1840 and finally Maire circa 1845-50

swan head cello bow made for Gand Frere 1855-66

Joseph Henry 1823-70

violin bow made circa 1855

A fabulous Swan Head cello bow made circa 1850-1855.

Francois Nicolas Voirin 1833-1885

Francois Nicolas Voirin cello bow influenced by Dominique Peccatte, circa 1870-75. He was one of the greatest bowmakers who through out his career combined a very high technical standard along with great esthetic.

A spectacular example of this great bow-maker.

Francois Xavier Tourte ( 1748-1835)

Francois Xavier Tourte is considered the greatest bow-maker of all time. We can say he was the Stradivari of the bow world. Tourte influenced all bowmakers after him, including modern day bowmakers. The general proportions of the head , frog, stick , and button we use today can be credited to Francois Xavier Tourte and his brother Nicolas Leonard Tourte.

Late FX Tourte violin bow circa 1825

German bows
Knopf family of Bow makers

The Knopf family of bow makers were very influential in German bow making for most of the 19th century. Christian Wilhelm Knopf was the patriarch and would have four sons who continued into the craft. His first son, Christian Wilhelm Jr. (1799-1835) would have a son Johann Wilhelm (1835-1912) who would become a very fine bow-maker. In addition, he would be a very influential teacher of bow-making to some makers of the later part of the 19th century. CW Knopf's second son was Karl Wilhelm who took over the Knopf business with the passing of CW in 1837. Karl Wilhelm was an excellent maker, furthering the craft he learned from his father. Karl would adapt many of the ideals which Francois Xavier Tourte established around 1780-1790. Karl's son, Carl Heinrich, known as Heinrich Knopf, would become the most important member of this dynasty of makers. Even though he was short lived, the bows he made were of a very high degree of technical and artistic merit. CW's third son Christian Friedrich Wilhelm l 1808-1874 was also a bow-maker. To date, not that much is known about him. The last son was Christian Friedrich Wilhelm ll 1815-1897. He was a very good maker and some of his bows were influenced by Etienne Pajeot.

Christian Wilhelm Knopf- 1767-1837
Cello bow

Karl Wilhelm Knopf 1803-1860

Christian Friedrich Wilhelm Knopf 1815-1897

Johan Wilhelm Knopf 1835-1912

Carl Heinrich Knopf 1839-1875

Heinrich Richard Knopf 1860-1939
son of Carl Heinrich Knopf

Kittle bow made in collaboration with Heinrich Knopf circa 1860.

Dominique Peccatte 1810-74

A very rare viola bow made for Charles Adolphe Maucotel circa 1845 and stamped Maucotel a Paris

Dominique Peccatte violin bow

Late Dominique Peccatte cello bow circa 1855 showing the influence of Francois Tourte

Francois Xavier Tourte cello bow

Jascha Heifetz - Kittel violin bow

This is the Kittel violin bow which was owned by Jascha Heifetz and was his main playing bow throughout his career. This bow was given to Heifetz by his teacher Leopold Auer. Before becoming known as a famous violin teacher, Auer was in his own right a very fine violinist who was very influential in the musical scene in St. Petersburg from around 1868-1917. Besides Heifetz, Auer taught such luminaries as Nathan Milstein, Mischa Elman, Toscha Seidel, Efrem Zimbalist, Oscar Shumsky and many others. To my knowledge this is the only Kittel bow Heifetz owned. I consider this to be one of the best playing and sounding bows I have had the pleasure to work on. If you play at a certain level all bows teach you how to play, not the other way around.

Kittel violin bow

Another exquisite Kittel violin bow

Concerning the Tortoise-shell violin bow. This is another exquisite Kittel violin bow which was owned by Johann Wilhelm Zacharias Pickel. He was second violinist in the quartet of the Russian Musical Society in Saint Petersburg form 1859-1889. First violinist was Leopold Auer, violist was Hieronymous Weickmann , and the cellist was Karl Davidov. The date 1856 is engraved on the ferrule of the bow, perhaps made a few years earlier

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