Violin bow
Date1810-1830 ca.
Place MadeEngland, Europe
Place MadeParis, France, Europe
Serial No.none
DescriptionLaurence Witten attributed bow to Tourte L’Aîné, but possibly English Current attribution: Arian Sheets and Andrew Dipper (March 31, 2018) attribute bow to John Kew Dodd due to T-mortise in head, frog heavily altered and possibly replaced, Dodd is known to have made Tourte-style bows
Date: ca. 1790 (Witten); ca. 1810-1830 (Sheets and Dipper)
Stick: round; pernambuco; uneven faceting at handle
Head: T-mortise
Frog: snakewood (portion toward stick replaced as a repair with dark hardwood, possibly ironwood); narrow silver ferrule; no heel-plate; later nickel-silver lining; large mother-of-pearl ovals inlaid on sides of frog; silver slide; possibly later
Adjuster: snakewood; two nickel-silver bands with rounded inner profiles; mother-of-pearl eye; oversized
Tip plate: ebony-lined ivory
Wrapping: silver-tinsel-covered black and black thread
Grip: none
Dimensions732 mm long
Stick length: 716 mm
Head height: 23.3 mm
Head width (bottom): 9.1 mm
Stick width near tip: 5.6 mm (top to bottom); 5.3 mm (side to side)
Stick width near middle: 7.6 mm (top to bottom); 7.5 mm (side to side)
Stick width at end of handle: 8.0 mm (top to bottom); 8.0 mm (side to side)
Frog height: 20.9 mm (front); 20.5 mm (back)
Frog length (top): 46.4 mm
Frog length (bottom): 46.0 mm
Frog width (top): 7.8 mm (front); 7.8 mm (back)
Frog width (bottom): 12.5 mm (front); 11.2 mm (back)
Weight (without hair): 48.3 grams
ProvenanceAcquired by Laurence Witten from E. M. W. Paul, London, 1964.
Purchased by the National Music Museum from Laurence Witten Family, New Haven, Connecticut, 1984.
Published ReferencesPeter Walls. "Mozart and the Violin." Early Music 20, No. 1 (February 1992): p. 17.
André P. Larson. Beethoven & Berlioz, Paris & Vienna: Musical Treasures from the Age of Revolution & Romance 1789-1848. With essay by John Koster. Exhibition catalog, Washington Pavilion, Sioux Falls, South Dakota, September 12-November 2, 2003. Vermillion: National Music Museum 2003. Page 35.
Credit LineWitten-Rawlins Collection, 1984
Object number03391
On View
Not on view
