Christian Wilhelm Knopf (1767-1837) was one of the first German bow makers, the pater familias of an extensive line of bow makers in the Knopf family. He is the inventor of the metal eyelet for the frog, a brilliant master who continued the tradition of the pioneers’ European bow-making. Intricate inlays of pearl in his bows’ frog and stick are significant among his bows.
This particular bow offers someone an excellent opportunity to purchase an early German masterwork in perfect condition at a reasonable price.
Auguste Lenoble was a French military man born in 1828. He moved to Paris in 1862, became the master of Charles Peccatte, and opened his workshop in 1866. He partnered with Peccatte from 1874 to 1881. Lenoble passed away in 1895 in Paris.
François Lotte, a French luthier trained by Bazin and Cuniot-Hury, founded his business in Paris in 1926. He married Marguerite Ouchard, the sister of Émile Auguste Ouchard. Lotte's collection includes expertly crafted bows, some marked by the maker and others unmarked, with silver or nickel mounts.