The Maker:

Andrew Dipper is a skilled restorer, luthier, historian, and writer with a background in sculpture and Cremonese violinmaking. He has made replicas of historic bows for 35 years. Mr. Dipper’s work is informed by dedicated scholarship, study of original bows and museum conservation.  Examples of his restoration, conservation, and reproduction work can be found in many of the foremost public and private musical instrument collections, as well as in the hands of acclaimed players worldwide.

Model:

This bow is based on a very rare French cello bow from the 1760’s. It is elegant, with a Swan head and finely sculpted frog with incurved sides. The frog has the typical French design that allows the hair in the open hair channel to be tied down, keeping the hair ribbon flat. The adjuster on the original was ivory and this has been replaced in the modern copy with black Buffalo horn or bone, which is a good substitute for ivory. The round stick, that is finely graduated in the French style, being slightly triangular in form behind the head. The stick is slightly in-curved, which makes it reminiscent of bows made later in the 18th century. These bows were made for playing virtuosic passages of the developing cello repertoire. The high swan head lends agility to the response of the stick and allows a full volume of sound to be produced, even on thicker strings. This bow design is halfway between the baroque bow and the modern bow designs of the 1830’s, and is perfect for late 18th-century repertoire.

 

Materials:

Stick: Snakewood

Frog: African blackwood

 

Certificate:

Andrew Dipper

 

Specs:

Weight: 77.9 g

Length: 71.6 cm