Bow for monochord.

Wood & Co

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Instrument

Bow

Instrument Family

Bows

Maker

Wood & Co

Date Made

Circa 1850

Description

Technical description: The octagonal, nearly straight, convex, varnished rosewood (?) stick ends in a chunky modern head. The bow has a matching open, screw-mechanism, canted, varnished rosewood (?) frog. The bow has black hair. The button is also of varnished rosewood (?) and has a brass ring; it is shaped like a cello peg. There is a brass piece fitted into the front end of the stick mortise held in place by one screw, which has a hole on top for the screw. Measurements: Weight: 530g. Hair length: 597mm. Balance point: 380mm. Head height: 91.95mm. Head width: 46.8mm. Face length: 69.5mm. Tip diameter: 19.7mm. Frog diameter: 25.5mm (measured 200mm from end to avoid frog). Nipple range: 3.4 to 3.5mm. Period of oscillation: 1.54. Distance from pivot to tail: 146.2mm. Button length: 58.9mm (including the brass ring). Ferrule width: 44.4mm. Frog + stick height: 77.3mm. Frog top length: 82.9mm. Inscriptions: The stick is stamped "WOOD & Co" over the frog on both sides, upside down on the thumb side. The finger side stamp is 1.93mm high and 14.17mm wide, and the thumb side stamp is 1.84mm high and 14.17mm wide. There are scratches on the stick and the head. The screw is dented. With display stand for bows (484), (485) and for other bows. This bow and bow (484) fit a stand, possibly to be identified with 'Exhibition stand for bows, containing 3 large bows for monocords, two 'cello bows, 2 violin bows' in previous catalogues; however, their sticks fit securely in the stand with hair uppermost, so the stand was probably not primarily intended for exhibition but for storage and to facilitate the application of rosin.

Other Information

Specific usage history: Used by Professor John Donaldson for acoustical demonstrations in the Music Classroom, University of Edinburgh, c 1850 - 1865.

Notes

Brenda Neece, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2004.

Measurements

828.

Provenance

Probably to be identified with one of `Exhibition stand for bows, containing 3 large bows for monocords, two 'cello bows, 2 violin bows' listed in inventory of the Music Class Room Museum circa 1930 (Cupboard H, item 40).

Collection

MIMEd ; Reid Collection

Accession Number

0485

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