François Lotte: French violin bow around 1920

François Lotte was a highly regarded French bow maker who worked in Mirecourt and lived from 1889–1970. This simple French violin bow by François Lotte is a perfectly balanced and mature work that was crafted mid-century and is one of the typical pieces of this famous Mirecourt bow maker. During this period, François Lotte started to work with his son Roger François Lotte, who went on to take over the family workshop completely around 1960. The strong round stick of light brown brasil wood is typical for this phase in the oeuvre of François Lotte "père", whose individual style defines the expressive elements of the frog and head. This excellent playing Francois Lotte violin bow thus manifests the decades of experience and the exceptional craftsman standards of a master who took his first professional steps as an employee of Bazin, where he probably completed his training. Beyond that, however, the violin bow also serves as an interesting milestone in the development of a model that would become a defining benchmark for the family workshop in the period after WWII, a model on which François Lotte continued to focus well past his retirement and until his death in 1970. With its choice nickel silver fittings and an ebony frog with a Pearl eye, this violin bow is compelling ― not only in the elegance of its simplicity and lines but also because of its excellent playing properties that feature all of the characteristics for which French violin bows are internationally esteemed. Easy to handle thanks to its well-centred striking point, the violin bow with a total weight of 60 g offering a radiant sound with a bright yet warm character that brings out the individual properties of excellent violins and helps their musical profile achieve their fullest. The price can be credited towards the purchase of a higher quality violin bow thanks to our trade-in guarantee. A certificate is optional. No damages to stick or frog, the head plate is repaired.