Karr Violin Bow

Object Details

Description

This bow was made by Albert H. Karr in Kansas City, Missouri, before 1925. It is a violin bow with a round beefwood stick with a plastic face, weighted black plastic frog with pearl eye, white plastic slide and metal ferrule bent from one piece and cut to lock the ends in place, and a plastic button. The bow is stamped:

A.H.KARR K.C.U.S.

Albert Homer Karr (1885-1971) was an American bow and violin maker (1885-1971). For most of his career, Karr was the proprietor of musical instrument shop in Kansas City, Missouri. In addition to repairing and selling other instruments, Karr made over 1,300 violins during his career and several dozen handmade violin bows. During WWII, Karr was contracted by the U. S. government to produce quality student bows.

The Violinist magazine for January 1921 featured an article about Albert H. Karr as well as an advertisement of his shop:

ALBERT H. KARR
Exclusive Violin Shop
306 East Tenth Str., Kansas City, Missouri.

The Albert H. Karr Handmade Violins, finest
imported wood, sent at my expense on ten days’ trial
to responsible parties.
Large collections of old Violins including a Stradi-
varius, a Guarnerius, an Amati, a Villaume and a
Lupot.

One of the finest equipped shops in the United
States for repair and adjustment of fine old
instruments. Mr. Karr attends to this work per-
sonally. All work guaranteed.
Correspondence invited.

Location

Currently not on view

Credit Line

Gift of Janos Scholz

before 1925

ID Number

MI.71.09

catalog number

71.09

accession number

292442

Object Name

bow

Physical Description

beefwood (overall material)

metal (overall material)

plastic (overall material)

horsehair (overall material)

Measurements

overall: 29 1/4 in x 1 1/4 in x 1/2 in; 74.295 cm x 3.175 cm x 1.27 cm

place made

United States: Missouri, Kansas City

See more items in

Culture and the Arts: Musical Instruments

Music & Musical Instruments

National Museum of American History

Record ID

nmah_605553

Metadata Usage (text)

CC0

GUID (Link to Original Record)

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ng49ca746a4-342a-704b-e053-15f76fa0b4fa