This bow was made by Arnold R. Bone in Framingham, Massachusetts, undetermined date. It is a viola bow, with a round Pernambuco stick, ivory face, ebony frog with awabi pearl eyes, ebony button with 2 silver rings. The bow is stamped:
AR Bone
This viola demonstrates the later development of Bone as an American bowmaker.
Arnold R. Bone (July 26, 1913 - August 9, 2001) was an engineer, inventor, gunsmith, string instrument bowmaker. He grew up in South Ryegate, Vermont, and graduated from Wentworth Institute in 1935. After graduation, Bone worked at Irwin Auger Bit Company in Wilmington, Ohio before returning to Wentworth to teach Navy machinist mates during World War II until 1944. The final part of his career, Bone worked at Dennison Mfg. Company in Framingham (now Avery Dennison) when he retired in 2000.
Arnold R. Bone held numerous patents at Dennison, including several for the Swiftacher, the device for attaching tags to clothing with a nylon filament. His ubiquitous fasteners are still used today. Bone applied his engineering and master craftsman skills to making string instrument bows, and also became one of the world's most respected experts on repair and restoration of fine bows. His customers ranged from young students to members of professional ensembles such as the Boston Symphony Orchestra, and bows were shipped to him from all over the world.
This bow was made by Glasser Manufacturing Company in Bronx, New York, around 1970-1975. It is a violin bow made of fiberglass, with a wood frog, metal screw, plastic tip plate, and horsehair. It is stamped:
ROTH-GLASSER
This bow features U. S. Patent #3456544, dated July 22, 1969 by Leon Glasser, for a musical instrument bow made of reinforced plastic.
This bow was made by an undetermined maker, provenance and date unknow. It is a violin bow made of Pernambuco wood, ivory tip plate, ebony frog, metal tightening screw, and without horsehair. The bow is stamped:
Pat'd in all countries Th[ ] Stain [ ] patent I.A.IND [/] STAATEN A
This bow was made by G.A. Pfretzchner shop, in East Germany, around 1945-1948. It is a violin bow made of Pernambuco wood, ivory tip plate, without a frog, tightening screw, or horsehair. The bow is stamped:
This bow was made by Albert H. Karr in Independence, Missouri, around 1940-1945. It is a violin bow (3/4 size) with a beefwood stick, with a plastic frog and plastic fittings. The bow is stamped:
A.H.KARR
Albert Homer Karr (1885-1971) was an American bow and violin maker (1885-1971). For most of his career, Karr was the proprietor of musical instrument shop in Kansas City, Missouri. In addition to repairing and selling other instruments, Karr made over 1,300 violins during his career and several dozen handmade violin bows. During WWII, Karr was contracted by the U. S. government to produce quality student bows.
The Violinist magazine for January 1921 featured an article about Albert H. Karr as well as an advertisement of his shop:
ALBERT H. KARR Exclusive Violin Shop 306 East Tenth Str., Kansas City, Missouri.
The Albert H. Karr Handmade Violins, finest imported wood, sent at my expense on ten days’ trial to responsible parties. Large collections of old Violins including a Stradi- varius, a Guarnerius, an Amati, a Villaume and a Lupot.
One of the finest equipped shops in the United States for repair and adjustment of fine old instruments. Mr. Karr attends to this work per- sonally. All work guaranteed. Correspondence invited.
This bow was made by Glasser Manufacturing Company in Bronx, New York, around 1970-1975. It is a 1/4 violin bow made of fiberglass, with a wood frog, metal screw, plastic tip plate, and horsehair.
This bow features U. S. Patent #3456544, dated July 22, 1969 by Leon Glasser, for a musical instrument bow made of reinforced plastic.
This bow was made by Lawrence Cocker in Derby, England, around 1960-1965. It is made of laminated cane with hardwood head and end, wood frog, metal tightening screw, and leather strip sewn on stick just in front of the frog. The bow is stamped:
903574
(and):
L. Cocker
The following is a description form a 1960s Cocker flyer:
The LAWRENCE COCKER BUILT CANE BOW
Known to maker of fishing rod for over 150 years, the technique of building cane has only in recent years been brought to a high degree of perfection and performance by the development of modern adhesives.
Full use of the “art” is made in the construc- tion of these fine bows. The selected Tonkin cane which is used, is made into strips triangular in section. 6 of these are bonded together with the resin adhesive to form a hexagonal stick, this is oven tempered to specification and moulded to its camber.
This preformed stick is remarkable permanent and less likely to distort or loose its set than the solid wood bow bent by the use of heat.
Beautiful grained hard wood is used for the head and nut end of the stick, the contrasting colour of this, and the natural cane is a distinctive feature of these bows.
This bow was made by Glasser Manufacturing Company in Bronx, New York, around 1970-1975. It is a violoncello bow made of fiberglass, with a wood frog, metal screw, plastic tip plate, and horsehair. It is stamped:
GLASSER
This bow features U. S. Patent #3456544, dated July 22, 1969 by Leon Glasser, for a musical instrument bow made of reinforced plastic.
This bow was made by Albert H. Karr in Independence, Missouri, around 1940-1945. It is a violin bow with a beefwood stick, with a plastic frog and plastic fittings. The bow is stamped:
A.H.KARR
Albert Homer Karr (1885-1971) was an American bow and violin maker (1885-1971). For most of his career, Karr was the proprietor of musical instrument shop in Kansas City, Missouri. In addition to repairing and selling other instruments, Karr made over 1,300 violins during his career and several dozen handmade violin bows. During WWII, Karr was contracted by the U. S. government to produce quality student bows.
The Violinist magazine for January 1921 featured an article about Albert H. Karr as well as an advertisement of his shop:
ALBERT H. KARR Exclusive Violin Shop 306 East Tenth Str., Kansas City, Missouri.
The Albert H. Karr Handmade Violins, finest imported wood, sent at my expense on ten days’ trial to responsible parties. Large collections of old Violins including a Stradi- varius, a Guarnerius, an Amati, a Villaume and a Lupot.
One of the finest equipped shops in the United States for repair and adjustment of fine old instruments. Mr. Karr attends to this work per- sonally. All work guaranteed. Correspondence invited.