Samuel Kolstein French Model Bass Bow- New York 1993

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The Kolstein Violin Shop was founded by Samuel Kolstein (1915-1999) in 1943 as a violin and bow making establishment. Original locations were in Brooklyn, New York, and later at 55th Street and 6th Avenue in New York City. Mr. Samuel Kolstein was a primary bow restorer for the Wurlitzer establishment from the late 1940’s through the mid-1950’s, accomplishing much bow repair, restoration, and duplication for the famed Wurlitzer’s “who’s who” clientele. Mr. Kolstein also conducted his own shop business of fine making and instrument restoration with an international staff of luthiers. In 1958 Samuel Kolstein Violin Shop located to Merrick, New York, on Long Island with Barrie Kolstein joining the shop in 1971. With Barry joining the team, this allowed Samuel time to concentrate on his passion, bow making. In 1980 the Kolsteins relocated to their current Long Island home in Baldwin, New York, known as Samuel Kolstein & Son, Ltd. In the 21st century they have also added a shop in Manhattan and one in the state of Florida.

In his early years growing up in the lower East Side of Manhattan Sam Kolstein was recognized for both his musical abilities and engineering skills. He was one of the select high school students to be accepted to the Brooklyn Poly Tech Engineering High School. While developing his engineering skills, Sam nurtured his love of music by becoming adept in piano performance and composition. Sam was accepted as a piano major at Julliard and picked his second instrument, which was required at the time, double bass. Fred Zimmermann (side note WOW!) became his teacher on bass. He leaned heavily into his bass studies. He served in WW II as a musician and composed music for the military. Many years before serving in the military Sam learned and started into his passion of bow work. He repaired a bass bow that he was told by a luthier that could not be done. Fred Zimmerman gave him a bass to restore that was in pieces. Sam accomplished the task in his New York apartment in one month. He presented the restored bass to Zimmerman and Fred turned around and gave the bass back to Sam as a gift. This was the beginning of the Sam Kolstein’s Violin Shop. Sam had an engineering mind as well as being musically gifted. I called the Kolstein shop (still in business) today after completing the restoration and they were kind enough to take time and look up exactly via the registered number when Samuel Kolstein made this bass bow.

The bow was made in March of 1993. Pernambuco specie, octagonal in section, sterling silver mounts. It is a registered bass bow with the number 1048 stamped under the frog on the bow just north the mortise. I cleaned the bow thoroughly and removed the old leather and silver. The silver winding was broken in two places. The new winding is sterling silver and the thumb leather is goat. The head is in excellent condition and so is the ivory facial, nothing needed to be done. The ebony frog is gorgeous, masculine in its make up with large 10.1 mm mother-of-pearl eyes surrounded by a sterling silver ring. The pin work is hardly noticeable and everything about the frog and endscrew ooze quality. The workmanship tolerances are so exact from the slide to the ferrule and in the solid silver end button. The stick feels awesome, firm, and balanced. An impressive example of Kolstein’s handmade bass bow work. Yes, I loved working the bow.

Weight: 152.7 grams.
Balance Point: 10 3/4 ”
Playing Hair Length: 22”
Overall Length: 27 3/4 “