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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.

    1. Nicolas Leonard Tourte bow from c.1775

      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.

    2. Nicolas Leonard Tourte bow from c.1775

      2. The tip

      The tip of the Nicolas Léonard Tourte bow from c.1775

    3. Nicolas Leonard Tourte bow from c.1775

      3. The frog

      And here's the frog of the Nicolas Léonard Tourte bow from c.1775

    4. Nicolas Leonard Tourte bow from c.1775

      4. The frog

      A side-on view of the frog of the Nicolas Léonard Tourte bow from c.1775

    5. A Nicolas Pierre Tourte bow from c.1740–50

      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.

    6. A Nicolas Pierre Tourte bow from c.1740–50

      6. The tip

      A Nicolas Pierre Tourte bow from c.1740–50

    7. A Nicolas Pierre Tourte bow from c.1740–50

      7. The frog

      A Nicolas Pierre Tourte bow from c.1740–50

    8. A Nicolas Pierre Tourte bow from c.1740–50

      8. The frog

      A Nicolas Pierre Tourte bow from c.1740–50

    9. Francois Xavier Tourte bow from c.1790

      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.

    10. Francois Xavier Tourte bow from c.1790

      10. The tip

      Francois Xavier Tourte bow from c.1790

    11. Francois Xavier Tourte bow from c.1790

      11. The frog

      François Xavier Tourte bow from c.1790

    12. Francois Xavier Tourte bow from c.1790

      12. The frog

      François Xavier Tourte bow from c.1790

    13. John Dodd bow from c.1810

      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.

    14. John Dodd bow from c.1810

      14. The tip

      The tip of the John Dodd bow from c.1810

    15. John Dodd bow from c.1810

      15. The frog

      John Dodd bow from c.1810

    16. John Dodd bow from c.1810

      16. The frog

      Another view of the frog of this John Dodd bow from c.1810

    17. Francois Xavier and Nicholas Leonard Tourte bow

      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.

    18. Francois Xavier and Nicholas Leonard Tourte bow

      18. François Xavier and Nicholas Léonard Tourte bow 1765

      Francois Xavier and Nicholas Leonard Tourte bow from c.1765

    19. Francois Xavier and Nicholas Leonard Tourte bow

      19. Francois Xavier and Nicholas Leonard Tourte bow 1765

      Francois Xavier and Nicholas Leonard Tourte bow from c.1765

    20. Francois Xavier and Nicholas Leonard Tourte bow

      20. Francois Xavier and Nicholas Leonard Tourte bow 1765

      Francois Xavier and Nicholas Leonard Tourte bow from c.1765

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