Scan 9
Rare bows for violin, viola, violoncello, 1931
20 lines. Read by computer on 23 September 2026. No printed page number was found. See the scan on archive.org.
1FOREWORD
3In publishing a complete catalogue of the Wurlitzer Collection of Rare Old Bows, as a Supplement to Part I and Part II of our catalogue of Rare Violins, Violas and Violoncellos, we have been actuated by the increasing interest which the public shows in Bows by celebrated makers of the Nineteenth Century—an interest which indicates that the Bow, that fundamental requisite of successful Violin playing, has, in the minds of instrumentalists generally, achieved an importance equal to that of the instrument itself.
5To the layman, a Bow is "most any kind of a Bow," but every experienced Violin player has learned that without a good Bow, he is handicapped both as to Bow technique and volume and quality of the tone he extracts from his instrument.
7In addition to their superior playing qualities, the Bows of Tourte, Peccatte, Voirin, Kittel and other masters have a charm all their own as works of art, and their chef-d'oeuvres are fit to rank with the prized masterpieces of a Cellini or a Duerer. Due to this fact choice examples are eagerly sought by violinists and collectors the world over, the result being an increasing rarity. These Bows were not the output of mass-production, but represent the inspirational efforts of the greatest Bowmakers who ever lived, who, in their way, are as important as Stradivari, Guarneri or Amati as makers of Violins.
9By observation and the opportunity of seeing fine Bows, the eye gradually distinguishes the individual style which each maker's work possesses, for the reason that his manner of shaping the head, the stick and making his frogs, discloses his identity as perfectly as the scroll or soundholes of a Violin indicate the hand by which they were fashioned.
11Each Bow has its own individual tone quality which it draws from the instrument and this is particularly true of the Bows by François Tourte and, due to this fact, a Bow by one of the great makers possesses a practical value to the player equivalent to that of his Violin.
13Diversity of opinion as to the relative playing merit of Bows will always exist, for the reason that what suits one hand and arm, will not satisfy another equally well. It is here that the practical value of the Wurlitzer Collection to anyone seeking a first-class Bow, becomes apparent, because of the selection it offers, for it is safe to assert that any bow-arm or wrist can be suited both in quality and price, from among the Bows described in this catalogue.
15Our experts have used the greatest discrimination in the selection, over a period of years, of the Bows of this Collection, and great care has always been exercised to the end that each Bow should have a distinct and well defined, good playing quality.
17We wish to lay special stress at this time, on the importance, to every purchaser of a fine Bow, of selecting only authentic, guaranteed genuine examples, because it is unfortunately true that the country has been flooded, in recent years, with copies of Tourte, Peccatte, Vuillaume and other makes. They are cleverly made and imitated and are often offered at very little below the cost of genuine specimens. Therefore, the standing and integrity of the seller should be given serious consideration by every prospective buyer. Our broad experience offers definite assurance that the playing quality of any Bow ordered will be of the best and its genuineness, guaranteed by us, beyond dispute. We earnestly solicit the patronage of all readers of this catalogue and we assure them of every endeavor on our part to give them complete satisfaction.
19THE RUDOLPH WURLITZER COMPANY.
The computer misreads some letters and numbers. Where a name matters to you, read the scan.