Nicolas Simon (“Simon FR”), French violin bow c.1850 (certificate by J.-F. Raffin)

Violin bow by Nicolas Simon, called "Simon Fr", made in approximately 1850

This perfectly preserved French violin bow is an authentic piece by Nicolas Simon, a master whose work has remained in demand to this day. Crafted around 1850, this Simon FR bow offers virtuoso musicians all of the benefits of the Peccatte tradition which Nicolas Simon embraced in a way only few did.

Nicolas Simon ranks amongst the best French bow makers around 1850, and as is the case with an astonishingly high number of the great historic masters of his guild, scholars know remarkably little about his career. A dynamic yet ultimately fruitless discussion has taken place over the years about the relevance of his signature “Simon FR”– often imitated by his contemporaries – whereas his pieces themselves are an even more compelling tribute to his talent and highly refined artisanry, which are both visible and audible in the fine Nicolas Simon violin bow presented here. Kept in perfect condition, the round stick of reddish-brown pernambucco gives this truly virtuosic bow its dynamic playing properties; the centrally positioned balance point along with its light weight gives players support with the most difficult of techniques. At a glance the finely crafted ebony frog shows the influence that Dominique Peccate’s style had on Nicolas Simon’s work; it has elegant top-quality nickel-silver fittings and a three-piece button. Its clear sound and clean attack have a rich radiance and feature all of the good properties fine French violin bows are known for. Specialist luthiers at our workshop have set it up and made it ready to play, and it includes a certificate of authenticity issued by the renowned expert J. F. Raffin. Our trade-in guarantee also applies to later purchases of fine violin bows.