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:

Larger sized violas were popular in England in the late 18th century, especially in the concert series of London and the provincial centers such as Bath, Brighton, Leeds and Dublin. The English bow was often designed after the equivalent French models. The bow, of which this is a copy, has an unusual dolphin style head and was made in Pernambuco. It has a slight hatchet head form to the head that lends strength to the back of the mortice. This combined with the usual T-slot hair mortice and tip plate gives adequate strength and width to the head. The design of this bow has a certain poetic expression to its details, and though it lacks the fine elegance of the French designs of the late 18th century, it certainly is capable of drawing out power and tonal nuance from the lower pitched strings of the viola.

 

Materials:

Stick: Pernambuco

Frog: Snakewood

 

Certificate:

Andrew Dipper

 

Specs:

Weight: 79.2 g

Length: 73.2 cm