|
| +-------------+-------------+-------------+
| | Violin | Viola | Violoncello |
| +-------------+-------------+-------------+
| | grains | grains | grains |
| Light | 850 | 1,000 | 1,150 |
| Medium | 900 | 1,050 | 1,200 |
| Heavy | 950 | 1,100 | 1,250 |
+---------+-------------+-------------+-------------+

In speaking of the adjustment of the spring or _cambre_, Woolhouse
gives a means of obtaining the exact curve that does not strike me as
being sufficiently reliable for the purpose. He suggests that "an
auxiliary bow be made of the proper dimensions, but so as to be quite
straight; then, on being haired and screwed up in the ordinary way,
it will show, in an inverted position, the exact curve to which other
bows should be set." But "screwed up in the ordinary way" appears to
me to admit of too much latitude of application: it is not possible
to divine to what extent this auxiliary bow _is_ to be screwed, and
if _this_ is left to the judgment of the maker, why not set the
_cambre_ by judgment and save the trouble of the straight auxiliary
bow?

I will now proceed to give an alphabetical list of bow makers which I
trust is as complete as possible. I have endeavoured to leave out all
purely factory makers in favour of those who are personally engaged
in the manufacture of bows. There are some in the list who are not
actual makers, but who carefully supervise all the bows issued under
their name. Such work is always distinctive and differs greatly from
that issued by firms who order bows by the gross from foreign
factories, and then stamp their own name on the stick. This is a
class of bow that usually looks very pretty and tempting to the young
lady amateur, but is sadly lacking in balance and spring; what little
there may be of the latter at first soon disappears, for it is quite
impossible for any firm to turn out thoroughly efficient bows at the
extraordinarily low prices one sees quoted. One must remember that
for a bow to be of any real utility, the material, the workmanship,
and the fittings must be of the very best possible description.

CHAPTER VIII.

A LIST OF BOW MAKERS.

A noticeable feature in the following list is the great preponderance
of French makers. Curiously enough the list of bow makers commences
with:

ADAM, JEAN DOMINIQUE. He was born at Mirecourt in 1