Matthias R. Penzel, Gold Mounted Violin Bow, Number 127

click picture to enlarge

Branded: Matthias R. Penzel -with a treble clef sign branded on each side of the maker – players side
Branded: GOLDSTANGE on the audience side

This bow was commissioned in February of 2021. It was completed in May 2021 by Matthias R. Penzel who now heads the bow firm.
Over 100 years ago Emil Max Penzel, the great uncle to Matthias founded the family business at Erlbach, Germany which was a center for making musical instruments in Vogtland/Sachsen. Max’s early bows were based on French makers. Max’s designs also had his name between two horizontal treble clefs. The next family member was Kurt Penzel and then his son Gerhard Penzel; we have bows in the shop from each. In 1974 Kurt Gerhard moved his home and the family business to Ostrach. Now Gerhard Penzel’s son Roland leads the commercial side of the business as well as the repair and restoration area while his son Matthias concentrates on handmade and commissioned bows. Matthias received his master qualification at Nurnberg in 2008.
The wood in this bow is at least 40 years old, hand selected seasoned pernambuco from the graded storage areas of the Penzel firm. It is octagonal in section and the ebony frog is mounted in gold with a three-piece gold endscrew, gold/ebony/gold with a green pearl eye. The frog has Parisian eyes and the Penzel logo. The frog is mounted in the Hill style as it has no bottom metal plate with the frog running in a lowered track carved into the pernambuco. The frog has the number 127 near the brass eye as well as branded on the stick under the frog. The tip is made of imitation ivory which is now standard in the industry and the mother-of-pearl is outstanding green abalone from Mexico. The green pearl is found in the frog eye, endscrew, and slide.
The bow comes with a certificate of authenticity from the maker. Wow! This is truly a fantastic bow.

Weight fully haired 60.4 grams.