W. D. Watson Violin Bow England

This violin bow was made by William D. Watson in London. Known more commonly as 'Bill', Watson was the apprentice of William Retford from 1945 until 1951 when he left for National Service in the Royal Air Force. Throughout his apprenticeship Watson was able to observe the work of previous Hill bow makers such as Leeson and Bishop, as well as bows from important French makers. Arthur Bultitude was a maker in the Hill firm around the same time as Watson, and when he setup his own independent workshop, Watson became the senior bow maker and was responsible for fine bows, and supervising colleagues and apprentices. By 1962, Watson had left Hills, and setup a workshop at his home in Denham.

This bow is stamped "W.D. Watson. London." and weighs 58.80 grams. It has an octagonal stick of pernambuco measuring 73.9cm in length, and has whalebone lapping and a leather grip. The frog is made from ebony and is fully silver mounted with a parisian eye and a three-piece silver button. It is in good condition.

It has a light, comfortable feel to it, with a great articulation for spiccato and sautille, and a broad, open sound. The stick is a good balance between stiff and flexible, giving it a good response both in the string and off. It would be well-suited to a professional player engaged in a number of different performance situations.

Please contact us if you would like to try this beautiful English violin bow!