J.B. Vuillaume** Sterling Silver Mounted Viola Bow 2024

click picture to enlarge

Stamped:

This is a commissioned viola bow for the string trade in sterling silver mounts. The bow is a pernambuco specie stick, round in section, and has sterling winding with a leather lap and thumb. The bow is stamped with a famous 19th century Parisian luthier’s name. John Baptiste Vuillaume was a maker and owner of his famous shop.

The ebony frog features a French model Parisian eye with 5.0 mm eyes. The frog lays in a track carved into the stick. The track helps to keep the bow aligned and the frog from twisting east or west. The end button has an octagonal mother-of-pearl middle section with the end of the button finished off in pearl. The workmanship is also noticed in the pin work of the sterling silver fully-lined heel and the end button. The bow is firm in its makeup and balanced. The camber starts early in the stick and recedes back towards the middle of the bow. The clean classic design of the stick and the jewelry work are remarkable for the price.

Weight fully haired 70.5 grams