A violin bow by W.E.Hill & Sons, 57.7g Circa 1905-1920

The London-based firm W.E. Hill & Sons dominated the fine instrument and bow market in the late 19th – early 20th centuries. Its leading approach to restoration preserved many important classical Italian instruments and the Hill name became a byword for expertise.

The firm was founded in 1880 by William Ebsworth Hill, who established its reputation for fine restoration work, pioneering many new techniques. He also trained his four sons, William Henry, Arthur Frederick, Alfred Ebsworth and Walter Edgar, to continue his work following his death in 1895. Led by Alfred Ebsworth, they built an unrivaled reputation for expertise, publishing seminal books on Stradivari and the Guarneri family.

The Hill workshop also employed many fine makers in the manufacture of instruments and cases, but their speciality was bows. Among the firm’s most celebrated bow makers are James Tubbs, Samuel Allen, Sydney Yeoman, William Retford amongst others.

Alfred Hill instituted an established style for the firm’s bows based on the Tourte violin bow and Voirin cello bow, uniting individual makers’ work into a distinctly British product of uniformly high quality. They are usually graded with materials, Gold, silver, Ivory, Tortoiseshell and the stamps…W.E.Hill & Sons, W.E.H&S, Hill, H&S . Although sometimes a H&S stamp bow can be as fine as a fully stamped bow…just depended who needed a bow! After WW2 the quality started to fall off a cliff…..so we just sell only the very best examples.

Sean Bishop “This beautiful mint condition Hill bow was probably made by William Johnston for Hills circa 1904-1920. Octagonal stick with beautiful figured wood. Almost brand new state!”

57.7g

Price range: £6,000 - £14,000