Cello Bow
Double tap/click to zoomA characteristic silver and ebony mounted cello bow by James Tubbs, made in London, England, c.1900. Round stick of typically dark-honey coloured pernambuco with silver metalwork. This bow has had some excellent restoration to the nose of the frog, and some filler to the thumb area of the stick by Malcolm Taylor. In a good state of restoration today.
History & Provenance
James Tubbs was one of the finest and most prolific bow makers in the history of British violin making. His work rivals that of the finest French makers, and he is said to have made thousands of bows in his lifetime. Initially Tubbs trained with his father William before starting his own business in the 1850s. He collaborated with William Ebsworth Hill starting around 1858, but never appears to have been officially employed by Hill or the Hill firm. In fact, after their relationship deteriorated steadily and eventually foundered in 1870, whenever Tubbs came across an example of his own work bearing a Hill brand, he stamped his own name on top of it, either " J. Tubbs" or "Jas Tubbs." Tubbs' work is widely sought-after and has been copied and forged by makers ranging from French and German trade workers to the Pfretszchner and Bazin families. The sticks of his bows are usually round and the metal parts are of generous thickness.
