Books › The Hawley Collection of violins, 1904 › scan 175
Scan 175
The Hawley Collection of violins, 1904
12 lines. Read by computer on 3 September 2026. Printed page 101. See the scan on archive.org.
1FRANÇOIS TOURTE, BOW-MAKER
3an uneducated man so far as books are concerned, and excelled in no way outside of his own calling. But surely in that there was glory enough for one man.
5Next to the bows of François stand those of his brother Savere (Xavier). His heads are chunkier than those of his younger brother, but their playing qualities are very fine. They have not that perfection of balance, nor the great tone-producing powers, but if one cannot possess a François, he cannot do better than to own one of the brother's bows. His bows are not stamped with his name. Following in the footsteps of François Tourte were several makers whose work ranks nearly equal. But slightly in advance of the others as a workman was Dominique Pecatte. He was born in the French center of the musical instrument industry, Mirecourt, in 1810. In 1826 he went to Paris and entered the shop of J. B. Vuillaume. He afterwards affiliated himself with François Lupot, whose business he eventually purchased. His work is of very high order, both in finished workmanship and playing qualities. His bows do not have, of course, the tone-producing qualities of Tourte's bows, but at present are ranked next to Tourte's in excellence. Pecatte's death occurred in 1874.
7François Lupot was born at Orleans, in 1774, and died in Paris, in 1837. He was the brother of the great French violin-maker, Nicolas Lupot. He was the inventor of the metal groove, which prevents wear of the frog from sliding on the stick. His finest bows are equal in every way to Pecatte's best work. He did not maintain the standard, however, and not a few poor bows are found bearing his name. His best bows, in the character of the heads of his choice sticks, are hard to surpass. While in the employ of Vuillaume (who was not himself a bow-maker), Lupot made many of the choicest bows which bear the name of Vuillaume.
9Nicolas François Voirin, of Paris, was another of the greatest of French makers. He also was born at Mirecourt, in 1833. The bows made by Voirin are always very fine. He was an expert with the knife and was a master of style.
11Jacques Lafleur, born at Nancy in 1760, was a maker of great repute. He was not so prolific as either of the above makers, but a fine bow by him approaches closely to the standard of Tourte, and is a prize to be retained. Other makers of France whose work has lived are Eury, some of whose bows are very fine; Henry, of Paris; Alfred Lamy; Pajeot; Persoit; and Simon. John Dodd is the most prominent of English makers. He was born in 1752, at Kew, and died in 1839. Dodd bows of proper length and proportion are extremely rare. They are usually too short or too long. Yet he was an excellent workman, and some of his heads are charming in design and execution. He stamped his bows "DODD" in large letters. Another name, that of James Tubbs, is known to all violinists. His work is of very high order, and in point of finish is not surpassed by any save the best of the French makers. Although we have in the United States many violin-makers, no one has as yet given his serious attention to bow-making. It is a field in which it is hoped that some day our country will be represented. Perhaps we may even live to see an American who will prove to be a worthy successor to grand old François Tourte.
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