Vuillaume Violin Bow

Object Details

Vuillaume

Description

This bow was made by Vuillaume in Paris , France, undetermined date. It is a violin bow made of steel, with a plain ebony frog with pearl slide, and an ebony button with two silver rings. This bow features a self-rehairing bow patent by Jean Baptiste Vuillaume from February 26, 1836. The bow is marked:

VUILLAUME A PARIS
BREVET D INVENTION

Arnold R. Bone (July 26, 1913 - August 9, 2001) was an engineer, inventor, gunsmith, string instrument bowmaker. He grew up in South Ryegate, Vermont, and graduated from Wentworth Institute in 1935. After graduation, Bone worked at Irwin Auger Bit Company in Wilmington, Ohio before returning to Wentworth to teach Navy machinist mates during World War II until 1944. The final part of his career, Bone worked at Dennison Mfg. Company in Framingham (now Avery Dennison) when he retired in 2000.

Arnold R. Bone held numerous patents at Dennison, including several for the Swiftacher, the device for attaching tags to clothing with a nylon filament. His ubiquitous fasteners are still used today. Bone applied his engineering and master craftsman skills to making string instrument bows, and also became one of the world's most respected experts on repair and restoration of fine bows. His customers ranged from young students to members of professional ensembles such as the Boston Symphony Orchestra, and bows were shipped to him from all over the world.

Location

Currently not on view

Credit Line

Gift of Leona M. Bone Trust

ID Number

2002.0167.01

accession number

2002.0167

catalog number

2002.0167.01

Object Name

bow

Physical Description

steel (overall material)

ebony (overall material)

nickel silver (overall material)

pearl (overall material)

horsehair (overall material)

Measurements

overall: 5/8 in x 29 7/16 in x 1 1/8 in; 1.5875 cm x 74.77125 cm x 2.8575 cm

place made

France: Île-de-France, Paris

See more items in

Culture and the Arts: Musical Instruments

Music & Musical Instruments

National Museum of American History

Record ID

nmah_1028332

Metadata Usage (text)

CC0

GUID (Link to Original Record)

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ng49ca746a8-d57b-704b-e053-15f76fa0b4fa