Bow for viola.

(Note: Each icon above opens in a new tab.)

Instrument

Bow/Bows/Bows/Musical Instrument ; Bow

Instrument Family

Bows

Date Made

Possibly 19th century

Description

Technical description: The round, concave, pernambuco stick has light brown leather lapping tied on at the front end with thick white thread and at the back end underneath the frog. The stick ends in a modern head with an ivory (?) headface. The screw-mechanism, squared, ebony frog has a ferrule made of two pieces of metal, one as the bottom surface, and the other as the curved, top surface. It contains a thin wooden ferrule wedge. The slide is of mother-of-pearl. The ebony button is covered by bone and is octagonal with a rim. Measurements: Weight: 59g. Hair length: 631mm (from the ferrule because the ferrule wedge protrudes; measured under tension because the screw is stuck in place). Balance point: 271mm (the stick and button are not flush). Head height: 23.5mm. Head width: 11.0mm. Face length: 22.35mm (from the mid-point to the mid-point). Tip diameter: 6.9mm. Frog diameter: 8.4mm (measured 150mm from the end of the stick, not including the nipple and button, to avoid the lapping). Period of oscillation: 1.35. Distance from pivot to tail: 61.9mm. Button length: 13.4mm. Ferrule width: 13.0mm. Frog + stick height: 27.3mm. Frog top length: 42.9mm. No inscriptions. Decorative features: Instead of decorative eyes, the frog has mother-of-pearl shields. The stick curves sideways from the head to the frog. The button is not flush with the end of the stick. The slide does not fit well. The frog is cracked on the thumb side. General usage of type: Trade bow. Associated by pre-1969 labelling and probably given with violin (335) and bow (341). Previous ownership: Possibly sharing some previous ownership with violin (335), q. v. Current ownership: Gift of Colin Marshall Skinner (great-great-grandson of William Marshall) and Mrs Phyllis Barbara Skinner (widow of previous owner), 1965. (Reid Collection).

Other Information

General usage of type: Trade bow.

Notes

Brenda Neece, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2004.

Measurements

704mm (stick, not including nipple, because the button is stuck in place and is not flush against the stick).

Provenance

Possibly sharing some previous ownership with violin (335), q.v. ; Gift of Colin Marshall Skinner (great-great-grandson of William Marshall) and Mrs Phyllis Barbara Skinner (widow of previous owner), 1965.

Collection

Reid Collection ; MIMEd

Accession Number

0336

Related Items