Jean-Joseph Martin: Fine French bow, c.1880 (certificate by J.-F. Raffin)

This fine antique violin bow / viola bow (67.5 g) was created around 1880 by Jean-Joseph Martin at the pinnacle of his difficult life, and the work is a powerful but delightfully light masterpiece of unmistakably French provenance. This Jean-Joseph Martin bow captures the artisanal and musical qualities of a craftsman who attempted a great leap forward – and tragically failed. Raised in extreme poverty, the highly talented student of Nicolas Rémy Maire rose quickly through the ranks of the great Jean-Baptiste Vuillaume’s workshop and managed to establish himself successfully in 1863 in his hometown of Mirecourt. From 1870 on, Martin helped initiate the bow-making branch of the business at Thibouville-Lamy, and five years he created a violin-makers’ cooperative to which the Reims native Emile Mennesson and his successful label J. Guarini also contributed. It is not known why exactly this promising business failed, but after a few years, Jean-Joseph Martin as the director had to declare bankruptcy through no fault of his own. This interesting ivory violin bow may have been crafted as a commissioned piece as one of the final pieces during the period of his greatest success. The nickel mounted Henry-style bow exhibits exquisite craftsmanship in the strong and dynamic round stick of amourette wood. This violin bow has shown to be the perfect choice for professional performance thanks in part to its comfortable weight distribution, and with its highly refined and nuanced tension and elasticity, it gives musicians broad options in terms of interpretation. A certificate issued by the renowned French-bow expert J. F. Raffin confirms that this outstanding piece is an authentic Jean-Joseph Martin work. We now offer it ready to play and in top condition. It is warmly recommended to discerning musicians.