Violoncello bow
ALTERNATE NAME(S)
- Bow
- Bass viola da gamba bow
- Viola bow
Date1740 - 1770 ca.
Place MadeEngland, Europe
SignedNoneDescriptionThis 18th century English bow features an intact long tip with T-mortise in the head. Such decorative tips were often cut off when fashions changed. It had a screw frog originally, but the current one is later, possibly from another bow. It closely resembles the bow with clip in frog stamped "Wamsley" in the Ashmolean collection, Ash 28.Stick: fluted (reeded in lower third); snakewood
Head: swan shape with intact long tip; T-mortise
Frog: snakewood; beveled back edge; brass eyelet; no lining; upper front edge comes to point; hair channel convex; underside is round; later but likely 1780s
Adjuster: snakewood with incised lines to continue reeding; two silver rings along outside edges; screw is rolled brass; later but likely 1780s
Tip plate: engraved silver; laterDimensionsStick length: 767 mm
Playing length of hair: 631 cm
Stick length: 743 mm
Head height: 14.4 mm
Head width (bottom): 9.2 mm
Stick width near tip: 4.6 mm (top to bottom); 5.9 mm (side to side)
Stick width near middle: 7.6 mm (top to bottom); 8.3 mm (side to side)
Stick width at end of handle: 8.5 mm (top to bottom); 8.8 mm (side to side)
Frog height: 21.5 mm (front); 17.0 mm (back)
Frog length (top): 47.5 mm
Frog length (bottom): 53.4 mm
Frog width (top): 6.9 mm (front); 6.4 mm (back)
Frog width (bottom): 9.4 mm (front); 8.3 mm (back)
Weight: 63.7 gramsProvenancePurchased via Cy Amesquita, Omaha, Nebraska. Owned in the 1990s by Susan Seligman, New Paltz, New York.
Credit LinePurchase funds gift of Ken Cancelosi, in memory of Robert Cancelosi, 2026
Object number16067
On View
Not on view
1690-1760 ca.
1680-1750 ca.
