A violin bow by James Tubbs

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 and Bazin families. The sticks of his bows are usually round and the metal parts are of generous thickness.

This bow is a mint example of his best work and was formerly part of the Rosenberg collection.

Price range: £14,000+