⚫︎ Antique Violin Bow / Tortoiseshell Style

⚫︎An Old Violin Bow
Tortoiseshell style

Engraving: Illegible
Size: 4/4
Weight: 58.0g
Balance Point: Approximately 240mm
Fittings: Nickel Silver
No Certificate of Authenticity

I purchased this bow believing it to be French.
I bought this bow because I was convinced of the unique beauty in the exquisite balance between the stick's style and the frog.
There are engravings on both sides, but they are illegible. I can read parts of them, but no maker comes to mind based on those fragments.

Although I was told it was French when I purchased it, the head shape feels strongly German.

I have been collecting from overseas for over 30 years now. In the beginning, my ignorance led me to be deceived, but as the number of bows I handled increased and I acquired what are considered genuine articles, I would scrutinize them daily until my eyes ached, so I won't be fooled anymore!
However, in 2025, due to exchange rate issues and soaring prices for old items in Europe and America, both old violins and old bows have jumped to several times their prices from 30 years ago, making them difficult to purchase now.
Not limited to this era, old bows are decreasing in number due to damage from deterioration, impact, etc. Unlike violins, which can often be restored with repairs, most bows cannot be fully restored even by top-tier repairers.
The carefully selected, excellent stick materials (like Pernambuco) from the good old days and the superior manufacturing techniques passed down through generations are disappearing. To prevent this even slightly, we collectors & players must handle them with care.

This particular bow, being a work from about 100 years ago, is not in perfect condition without scratches like a new item, but
it has a very slight warp. This is normal for old bows.

I cannot accurately describe its playability, but it is incomparable to mediocre bows.
To express it in sensory terms, it's not that it's both supple and strong... rather, it feels like a taut tension has been uniformly adjusted from the frog to the head. I will write this with my own amateur sensibilities.
I am parting with about 10 more violin bows from my collection, but these are not bows to be sold off cheaply, so you should feel a sense of satisfaction in owning one. I believe it can also be held as an asset after purchase.
Please make payment within one week.
Returns are not accepted to prevent fraudulent exchanges.