walking along the Faubourg
Montmartre on his way to the abode of a customer to whom he was
taking a bow newly finished, when he suddenly fell down in an
apoplectic fit. Fortunately his name and address, "Bouloi 3," was on
the parcel containing the bow, and he was thus able to be taken home
without delay. But how sad a home-coming! brought home in a dying
condition to his wife whom he had left but a few minutes before in
apparently good health. He died the same night.

VUILLAUME, J. B., Paris. This strange mixture of cunning and ability
will be ever remembered as the craftiest of craftsmen. An undoubted
genius as a violin maker, yet with all the tricks and subterfuges of
the veriest charlatan. Concerning the real value of the historical
details furnished to Fetis by Vuillaume I have spoken in Chapter V.
Though it is possible that he had considerable practical knowledge of
bow making, I do not think he actually made any bows. He exercised
great judgment, however, in the employment of skilled workmen, whom
he kept as a rule for a number of years--a fact that is sufficient to
stamp him as a good and considerate employer. The most noted makers
who worked for him were Fonclause, Peccatte, Persoit, Simon and
Voirin. It will thus be seen that the majority of the bows bearing
Vuillaume's name are of the best possible workmanship and quality.
Unfortunately there are in this case also a number of forgeries on
the market. The most noteworthy features in connexion with Vuillaume,
as regards bows, are his curious inventions--the steel bow, the fixed
nut, the curved ferrule, and the self-hairing bow. Of the steel bow,
Mr. Heron-Allen says he has "never met with a specimen of so
ponderous an eccentricity" except the one in South Kensington Museum.
I have come across a number, and as they are tubular they are not at
all as ponderous as the name of the material suggests. In fact I
remember one that was very pleasant to play with. They are nearly
always lacking in balance. The fixed nut was the result of an idea
that the player should always have the same length of hair at his
service. The curved ferrule was also a mistake, the idea being that
it would be good to get a broad surface of hair on the string at the
heel. The self-hairing bow was ingenious but of no practical value.
These patents are detailed more fully in Part II. Vuillaume was born
at Mirecourt on October 7th, 1798, and was the son of the carrier
between that town and Nanc