Émile Auguste Ouchard, fine French cello bow (certificate J.F. Raffin)

The hallmarks of this French cello bow by Émile Auguste Ouchard are its large, radiant sound full of warmth, clarity and volume – a masterpiece which has survived in such impeccable condition that it might as well have never been played. To this day, demanding musicians and collectors know the collective work of Ouchard fils for its excellent quality and elegance, and here these properties come into full fruition in a state of rare perfection. The original stamp “E. A. OUCHARD PARIS” was placed above the frog, indicating that this bow dates back to Ouchard’s Parisian period between 1940 and 1946, a time in which he began to distance himself from the defining influence of his father’s atelier in Mirecourt. He quickly made a good name for himself in the capital of France, and in 1942 he won the “Grand Prix” of the International Paris Exhibition – a success he owed in no small part to the marvelous training he received from his father, Émile François Ouchard. The father and son worked together for nearly 25 years, initially at the highly regarded workshop of Eugène Cuniot (Cuniot-Hury), and then from 1923 onward as “Émile Ouchard” and “Émile Ouchard Fils” at their own family business. The fine cello bow we present here features the finest reddish-brown pernambuco, a testament to his mature artisanry: impressive precision went into crafting its round stick, its especially elegantly shaped head and its ebony frog with a Parisian eye and silver capsule button. The balance point of the cello bow is perceived as being central; it is located at 25.3 cm of the total length of 71.21 cm. The visible and audible quality of this bow speaks for itself and requires no further recommendation. After having carefully set up this bow at our specialist atelier, it is offered in excellent condition, ready to play. Its authenticity is confirmed by a certificate issued by Jean-François Raffin (Paris).

 

 

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