VIOLIN BOW - COLLABORATION BETWEEN PECCATTE AND HENRY 1840-45-“Ilya, are you sure the bow has been assigned Pierre Simon, by the person that sold it to you?”-, -”Yes, why?”-, -”Something doesn't convince me”-. This has been one of my most pleased and fortunate intuitions - especially to Mº Grubert.
Violin bow by Dominique Peccatte – Joseph Henry, 1840-45 My encounter with this object goes back to the time Master Grubert, purchased his new “D.T. Navea Vera”. After having tried and compared bows in our workshop Master Grubert, handed over one of his and said -”Paolo, here is my Simon, it has a problem with the button, could you have a look at it”. It was the first time I had seen this bow and I immediately had the feeling that something wasn't right. It is true that the bow had details that recalled this craftsman – or better they “almost” recalled Simon. Something wasn't right - like the chamfer of the throat which is less round. The frog is similar to Simon; the throat recalls his geometries, however, the execution betrays with its soft lines which is atypical to this craftsman.
At this point I posed the question, which has opened this post, and judging by the faces around me I had put into discussion the opinion, not only of one but two very illustrious and influential experts. If I had known, I probably would have kept my mouth shot. These experts were more reliable than me - at least until this point and now I had to prove they were wrong.
As a last resort to confirm my expertise against two experts of worldwide reputation, I suggested Ilya, to leave me the bow so that I could take it to Paris.
Upper view
Front view From the day of the appointment with Mº Grubert, until I went to Paris, I looked at the bow again and again. The more I mulled the less it seemed Simon, even though I hadn't a clear idea. When Mº Raffin announced how thing were, I could have slapped myself for my naivety. The secret is on the photo above.
When I arrived to Paris, I handed over the violin bow to Mº Raffin, informing him that the bow had been sold as a Pierre Simon. The answer was: -”Mmm, leave the bow to me, because I have to study it”. The answer made me understand that the object wasn't easy to assign. Usually it takes Mº Raffin, about 30 sec. to identify a bow – in this case he had asked me two hours of time.
When I returned, Mº Raffin, received me in the door and I must say that he was literally beaming. - “My freind”- he said, - “it is a grand day to you. This bow in fact is not a Pierre Simon, but made by Dominique Peccatte in collaboration with Joseph Henry.” By who!!! It was like getting a bucket of cold water in the face. That was why I hadn't recognized the bow. It must have been the first time I had seen a Peccatte with a geometry like that. Usually the geometry is a lot more open and leaning forward and I hadn't recognized it in this guise. Looking at the bow it crossed my mind -”If it is Peccatte, he must have.....” and like magic his trademark appeared. Looking at the bow from the front you will notes that the right cheek is larger than the left cheek; this shows that he was right handed. Looking at the bow from the upper side you will notes the result of this unbalance; the typical “S” by Peccatte. These characteristics are to be found on all pure Dominique Peccatte bows (DOMINIQUE PECCATTE; THE PURE ONE, DOMINIQUE PECCATTE 1840-45).
Nor is the frog a simple matter. Unfortunately the upper part of the pallet has been touched subsequently. Mº Raffin, told me that it was Carl Flesch, who launched this villainous and useless fashion. Besides ruining the work of an excellent craftsman, this change makes it very difficult to recognize the bow, particularly when dealing with these three craftsmen, who have passed a period of their working life in symbiosis. If the bow head is difficult to recognize, only a few people would be able to recognize the frog. I had only come to establish that the bow and the frog have been made together; in agreement with one of the two experts who had examined the bow previously.
Even though mistreated, this frog is a testimony of the highest level of skills and style. Just notes the effect of lightness created by having excavated the cheek until it joins, with an oblique line, the low circumference of the throat and the rear angle of the frog. It enters more on the left side than on the right side, which is probably caused by the time he had to make the bow – usually very little.
The silver drawstring is fastened with small screws and not tacks, as in all the production made by Peccatte, Simon and Henry.
The bow is branded Chanot, the violin maker who had received Henry, in 1837. Henry, arrived to Paris, at just 14 to carry out his apprenticeship. In the beginning of the 1840ties they started to make bows to Dominique Peccatte.
I immediately called Mº Grubert, to hand over the news and to ask if he wanted to certificate the bow. I don't know why, but I believe I earned some credit by Mº Grubert ;-).
To read more about this topic: PIERRE SIMON; THE NICE PECCATTE PECCATTE; THE SILENT REBELLION DOMINIQUE PECCATTE; THE PURE ONE So long, Paolo
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