Violin bow by James Tubbs, London, circa 1900
About James Tubbs
In common with a great many other players, James Tubbs is one of my absolute favourite bow makers. Whilst it´s true to say that I´ve played plenty of weak Tubbs bows, it´s also fair to say that the very best of his bows play as well as the greatest French sticks. Thought to have made over a thousand bows in his career, Tubbs was a highly-skilled workman who prized output above all else.
It seems likely that Tubbs´ upbringing as the eldest of 11 children in a poor London household went some way towards creating such a ferocious work ethic. Tubbs initially trained with his father, William Tubbs Jnr, before starting his own workshop in the 1850s. Famously, he produced bows for W.E. Hill and Sons from around 1858: the relationship soured in later years and Tubbs was known to rebrand these sticks with his own Jas Tubbs brand whenever he got the opportunity! James Tubbs is often referred to as the `English Tourte´ and his impact on the development of the bow cannot be underestimated.
About the violin bow
This bow was made in London around 1900.
The round stick is of excellent pernambuco and measures 729 mm in length. The mounts are silver and ebony.
The bow weighs 60 and a half grams.
How does it play?
Like all the best James Tubbs bows, this really grips the string. It pulls out amazing amounts of the upper harmonics and is a good balance between these qualities and working off the string. It makes a truly juicy sound!
Condition
The bow is in good condition.
Further information
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