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Gorgeously elegant 18th-century violin, viola and cello bows
It's usually the beautiful string instruments of the 18th century that get all the attention – but the bows from the period are just as painstakingly made and elegant to look at. Instrument auction house Tarisio will be curating an exhibition of bows from the period in November – and here's a preview.
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1. Nicolas Léonard Tourte bow from c.1775
The Tourte family made some of the most sought after bows of all time – virtuoso Joshua Bell plays with a Tourte bow, for example. Nicolas Léonard Tourte was born around 1745 and died in 1807. This example is from 1775.
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2. The tip
The tip of the Nicolas Léonard Tourte bow from c.1775
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3. The frog
And here's the frog of the Nicolas Léonard Tourte bow from c.1775
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4. The frog
A side-on view of the frog of the Nicolas Léonard Tourte bow from c.1775
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5. A Nicolas Pierre Tourte bow 1740–50
Nicolas Pierre Tourte (the father of the bow-making family) was born around 1700 and died in 1764. This example is from around 1740-50. His two sons, François Xavier and Nicolas Léonard were also renowned bow makers.
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6. The tip
A Nicolas Pierre Tourte bow from c.1740–50
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7. The frog
A Nicolas Pierre Tourte bow from c.1740–50
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8. The frog
A Nicolas Pierre Tourte bow from c.1740–50
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9. François Xavier Tourte bow from c.1790
Credited with creating the modern bow, François Xavier Tourte is the most famous member of the Tourte family. This bow is an example of his work and dates from around 1790.
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10. The tip
Francois Xavier Tourte bow from c.1790
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11. The frog
François Xavier Tourte bow from c.1790
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12. The frog
François Xavier Tourte bow from c.1790
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13. A John Dodd bow from around 1810
John Dodd was an English bow-maker who was born in 1752 and died in 1839. He was known as 'the English Tourte' and worked in Lambeth and Kew in the 18th and early 19th century.
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14. The tip
The tip of the John Dodd bow from c.1810
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15. The frog
John Dodd bow from c.1810
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16. The frog
Another view of the frog of this John Dodd bow from c.1810
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17. François Xavier and Nicolas Léonard Tourte bow 1765
A beautifully simple example of a bow from the Tourte family, credited to brother François Xavier and Nicolas Léonard Tourte and made in around 1765. Nicolas was the elder of the two brothers.
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18. François Xavier and Nicholas Léonard Tourte bow 1765
Francois Xavier and Nicholas Leonard Tourte bow from c.1765
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19. Francois Xavier and Nicholas Leonard Tourte bow 1765
Francois Xavier and Nicholas Leonard Tourte bow from c.1765
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20. Francois Xavier and Nicholas Leonard Tourte bow 1765
Francois Xavier and Nicholas Leonard Tourte bow from c.1765
