Charles Nicolas Bazin. Fine French 3/4 violin bow around 1900 (certificate J.-F. Raffin)

This fine, late 19th century French 3/4 violin bow by Charles Nicolas Bazin, is powerful and elegant, a testimony to the high standards of his bow-making atelier in Mirecourt. In the last decades of the 19th century, an extremely successful era of his life, Charles Nicolas Bazin was able to find new ways to express the light and dynamic principle that makes the bows of his grand teaching master Voirin bows distinctive. This fine 3/4 violin bow is an excellent example of his approach. It is a prime example of the fact that quality is not solely a matter of perfect craftsmanship and a self-confident awareness of style, as can be seen in the way the head of the bow is crafted. Instead, the exceptionally delicate reddish-brown pernambuco used for the stick has outstanding properties which play an important part as well, since they are what give this violin bow its excellent resilience and elasticity. And this choice of wood is no coincidence: the Bazins enjoyed great successes both in creating their own bows and in supplying materials and accessories for making bows, and their atelier certainly benefited from access to these resources. The bow’s fittings reflect its high value: it has a nickel silver-mounted ebony frog, a mother-of-pearl eye and a silver-ebony button. This rare 3/4 violin bow creates a sound which is large and full of volume, supported by a balance point well centered. We recommend this fine French C.N. Bazin violin bow because of its warm character which is also rich in its great clarity. The undamaged bow is now ready to play after having been carefully set up by the specialists in our workshop. The price includes a certificate of authenticity by expert Jean-François Raffin.