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NOTE: ALL TEXTS AND IMAGES IN THIS DOCUMENT ARE PROTECTED BY COPYRIGHT, 2008.
John A. Thornton: Author, Owner, and Seller of the item listed in this "Buy It Now" eBay venue. Images and description as below
I have enjoyed owning and admiring this unique, highly interesting bow for almost 40 years. Yet I've never had it haired, nor heard it played. This piece remains in its primitive condition, still bearing the original but highly worn woven silk (or cloth) grip. The open trenched plain ebony frog does not have a ferrule. It is slightly taller at the front than the back and mounted to the shaft in a most ingenious fashion, in the form of an almost square shaped "rail and groove". The fully intact ivory button fits perfectly and securely over a core of solid ebony. One facet of the button is slightly beveled to match either bevel on the underside of the shaft at the handle end, probably for the purposes of guaging the tension of the hair by counting the mumber of turns it would take for proper adjustment. The rolled threads of the propelling screw are still in good shape, as well as the brass eyelet. The (unvarnished) round stick is made of fine quality, straight grained, orange/brown Pernambuco. The shaft retains the deep camber which starts almost immediately behind the head. The stick has a slight curvature to the left that was seemingly "built in" at the time of making. On the left side of the shaftt, at about 10 cm from the tip end, a slight vertical indention is visible- perhaps the result of being sawn too deeply into the rough billet. The stylistic early form of the famous Tourte "hatchet" head possesses much of the statuesque tension and vigor that began to appear more and more frequently in F. X. Tourte's "mature period" productions, especially the heads seen on octagonal sticks. The back bevels of the head are quite exposed, extemding through the turn of the throat onto the shaft. Clearly visible are the typical so called "angular disruptions" left by the maker's knife, most especially on the right side. The original undamaged face plate and tip is of fine quality ivory, the mortice is slighly asymmetrical in shape but cleanly carved.
As is known to connoisseurs and collectors of F. X. Tourte's work, the cheeks of the heads are often carved into a concave shape along the sides at the front edge. And those examples with sharply filed cheeks have nose ridges that do not run in a straight line from the brow to the upturn of the tip, but meander (or travel) from side to side. It is also known to connoisseurs and collectors that F. X. Tourte's open trenched plain ivory frogs were always accompanied by an ivory button. I have seen images of only two other transitional bows like this, both of which are "certified" as "by" F. X. Tourte, one being almost identical. Therefore, I do in fact attribute this bow to the hand of Francois Xavier Tourte, circa 1790 - 1800. (If one might ask if I have a "certificate of authenticity" issued by a so called "recognized" expert, please be aware that I am NOT in the habit of paying someone to tell me what I already know.) The pictures illustrate all that is described for this type of Tourte's work. except for a view of the nose ridge- which I have yet to photograph. Length: 72cm (excluding button) 73.5cm (overall) Weight: 52.0 grams (without hair)
I would expect this bow to be fully functional, especially for performing the musical styles of the period during which it was created. However, I am offering it for sale as a one of a kind, highly desireable. collector's item only. Free shipping worldwide, most securely packaged and fully insured at the final purchase price!!
Thanks for looking!
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