William Forster III (1764-1824) was born into a London-based luthier dynasty. He apprenticed under his father, William Forster II, from a young age and completed his first violin at the age of 15. Forster later attempted to diversify the family business, including a foray into selling fresh produce, but the Forster name remains most closely …
Thomas Kennedy The son of British luthier John Kennedy, Thomas Kennedy (1784-1870) received early instruction from his father before apprenticing under Thomas Powell. He went on to work for William Forster III for two years before opening up his own London workshop in 1804. Originally located in the West End, Kennedy would move multiple times …
Originally from Hawaii, William Whedbee found his home in Chicago when he moved to attend college. While enrolled at the University of Chicago, mentorship from sculptor Virginio Ferrari and musicologist Howard Brown helped Whedbee discover a passion for violin making. In 1976, he enrolled in Cremona’s famed Institute of Violin Making, studying under legendary luthiers …
Luthier Georges Apparut (1877-1948) apprenticed under his father, Leon, in his Juraincourt workshop. Apparut further honed his skills while working for Paul Blanchard in Lyons and Mougenot in Brussels. His skills were recognized at the Laberte atelier in Mirecourt, where he served as the head of artistic production. In 1925, Apparut took over Victor Joseph …
You’ve committed so much attention to the purchase of the right viola and now you have to make a decision on a suitable bow to match. Your first question may be, “Given what I just spent on my viola, how much should I allocate to the bow?” The truth is that there is no simple …
Viola Bow Prices – Quality & Cost Considerations Read More »
Bernard Ouchard, regarded as one of France’s preeminent mid-20th century bow makers, followed in the footsteps of his father, Émile Auguste Ouchard, and his grandfather, Émile Francois Ouchard, both famous bow makers. In 1941, Bernard went to Paris, where he learned his craft under the guidance of his father. They worked together until he joined …
Louis Joseph Morizot (called Morizot père), and his five sons, (Morizot frères), are reputed to be among the most important French bow makers of the twentieth century. Together, they established one of the most successful ateliers in their hometown of Mirecourt. Louis Morizot père followed in the bow-making footsteps of his grandfather Guillaume Maline (1792-1859). …
Jean-François Raffin (b. 1947) Jean-François Raffin completed his violin-making apprenticeship in Mirecourt before joining Etienne Vatelot’s Parisian workshop. In Paris, Raffin discovered his passion for bow-making and began working for Bernard Millant. He went on to open his own atelier in 1989, although he still collaborated with his mentor. Together, Raffin and Millant authored L’archet, …
Cabinet d’Archetiers – Experts Jean-François Raffin Read More »
Louis Joseph Morizot, known as Morizot père, was born 1874 in Darney, a small town in the Vosges region of France very near Mirecourt. Although his father was an iron worker his grand father was the famed bow maker Guillaume Maline. The young Louis Morizot first learned bow making in the Mirecourt atelier of Eugène …
Louis Joseph Morizot (Morizot Pere) (1874 – 1957) Read More »
Nestled on the border of Saxony and Bohemia (modern-day Czech republic), Markneukirchen was already a thriving violin-making center by the 18th century. Its remarkable output gave the region its nickname: the “Musikwinkel,” or music corner. What set Markneukirchen apart was a commitment to international commerce and a well-established luthiers’ guild, dating back to 1677, that …
The History of German Bow Making in Markneukirchen Read More »
