Violin Bow by Nicolas Simon, Mirecourt, circa 1855
About Nicolas Simon
Nicolas Simon is often referred to as Simon FR, the wording of his brand. The FR comes from Frebinet, the maiden name of his wife. This is a lovely and relatively common tradition amongst the bow makers of Mirecourt which acknowledges the spouse’s association with the business.
Simon was born in Mirecourt and worked in that town. Frustratingly, much of his life as a maker remains a mystery: we know he was born in 1806 and that his marriage took place in 1829. Simon started to brand his bows around 1840-1845, leaving us with questions about where he worked before this date.
Simon’s making is generally in the style of Pecatte and his bows are highly-prized for their excellent quality.
About the bow
The bow was made in Mirecourt around 1855 and is a excellent example of this great maker’s work. The round stick is of very good quality pernambuco and measures 722 mm in length. The mounts are of nickel and ebony and the bow weighs 62 grams.
How does it play?
This bow grips the string brilliantly. As a consequence, it feels as though you have about three inches more bow than normal: there’s never a chance you’ll run out! I love this bow because it makes me feel way more in practice than I am nowadays: the flashy pieces of my younger days are nearly within reach once more…
Condition
The bow is in very good condition and is original in all its parts.
Certification
The bow comes with the 2021 certificate of Raffin, Le Canu and Bigot.
Further information
Please get in touch for more details about this fine French violin bow by Nicolas Simon for sale and a member of our team will get back to you.