Viola Bow Prices – Quality & Cost Considerations

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 answer to this question. However, we can provide some guidance below. 

First, a few key factors will influence your decision, such as a realistic assessment of your current skill level and your budget. However, based on our experience, a good rule of thumb is to reserve 20%-30% of your overall instrument and bow budget for the bow. 

What Determines the Cost of a Viola Bow?

Making a high-quality bow requires a level of craftsmanship akin to making a high-quality viola. Many small parts are integrated and a combination of metalworking and woodworking is utilized in the bow-making process. Keep in mind that even the slightest differences in wood quality, thicknessing and camber can affect sound quality and playing qualities. Below, we offer a synopsis of price points and supporting data for different types of bows. We hope you find this information helpful.

Viola Bows for Beginners

Bows for students starting out on the viola are typically manufactured in factories in China. These bows are mostly made by machines with just a little bit of finishing by hand. Materials are often carbon fiber or various hardwoods referred to as Brazilwood. These cheaper bows do not possess the nuanced tonal and playing qualities of good Pernambuco viola bows. Price points are usually in the range of $50 – $150. 

When starting out as a viola student, you may be unsure of the level of commitment you’re going to make to the instrument. In this case, purchasing a starter bow of this quality makes sense. However, if you’re confident that you’re going to make a longer-term commitment, you might consider a bow of slightly higher quality. If this sounds like you, be prepared to spend between $300 – $500.  

Intermediate Viola Bows

The best intermediate viola bows are handmade with Pernambuco wood by some of the best contemporary Brazilian bow makers and range in price from $600 – $1,600. To best serve those in this segment, Dolce Violins partners with Arcos Brasil and L’archet Brasil, two firms whose bows just keep getting better each year. In fact, these bows are sought after by prominent viola teachers in our area and by local professionals who use them as backups.

Professional Viola Bows: Contemporary Makers

Modern bow making is currently experiencing a renaissance, with makers from the United States, Canada, Europe and Asia producing beautiful and great-playing bows at affordable prices. These bows are perfect for conservatory students or up-and-coming musicians, with prices ranging from $4,200 – $8,000. A few of the award-winning contemporary archetiers serving this category are André Lavoye, Roger Treat and Douglas Raguse.

Professional Viola Bows: Fine Antique Viola Bows

The most highly prized professional bows are antiques from European masters. To fully understand the cost of fine antique viola bows, we should explore the three main countries where historical bow making has flourished.

French Viola Bows

French archeterie is considered the pinnacle of bow making, with origins dating back to François Xavier Tourte (1748-1835), considered the father of the modern bow. France has occupied the throne for innovation throughout bow making history and, not surprisingly, antique French bows are among the most sought-after by professional musicians and collectors alike. 

Starting prices for viola bows from celebrated French archetiers range from $10,000 – $20,000. In this tier, you can find bows from Emile Francois Ouchard, Bernard Ouchard, the Morizot family, Francois Lotte and Roger Francois Lotte and members of the Bazin family.

Prices in the next tier of French viola bows range from $20,000 – $35,000, and may include makers such as Martin, Thomassin, Vigneron, Emile Auguste Ouchard and Joseph Alfred Lamy (pere).

The next level of fine French viola bows is targeted to professional players and prices typically range from $35,000 – $60,000. These bows may include makers such as Nicolas Sartory, Joseph Henry, Jules Fetique and Victor Fetique, FN Voirin, Nicolas Maline, Persoit and Pierre Simon.

The stratosphere of French antique viola bow prices starts at $60,000 and is reserved for museum-quality bows by major historical figures such as Nikolai Kittel, Nicolas Remy Maire, Etienne Pajeot, Francois Xavier Tourte, Dominique Peccatte and Jacob Eury.

English Viola Bows 

Many of the most highly acclaimed early modern bow makers were English, and their work was quite influential on the development of the modern bow. 18th-century London witnessed a booming trade in fiddles and bows and John Dodd I (1752-1839) was one of the most celebrated bow makers from this period. Dodd began his career as a metalworker but switched to bow making in the 1770s. Ultimately, he created a new style of English bow making that is still influential today. 

Since the mid-18th century, the W. E. Hill name has symbolized the highest standards of bow making. From its roots in London, this firm’s work has stood the test of time and, as recently as 2018, relocated their workshop back to London. The Hill name is also tied to an exceptional archetier, James Tubbs (1835-1921), who was considered one of England’s most prolific archetiers. Trained by his father, Tubbs collaborated with the Hill workshop during the 1850s. Over time, his work was so highly regarded that it was frequently copied by French and German workshops, including the prestigious Bazin and Pfretzschner brands.

Hill bows, especially those made before 1920, are sought after by professional and conservatory students for their fine playing characteristics and reasonable price points.

Prices for top-quality English bows can range from $5,000 for a Hill bow to over $20,000 for the finest examples of Dodd and Tubbs. 

German Viola Bows

German workshops were quite prolific in producing bows in the 19th and early 20th centuries, and the resulting glut likely contributed to the myth that they were cheap and mass-produced. In fact, so many fine bows were made in the workshops of famous instrument-making regions such as Markneukirchen that the extensive supply led to decreased demand. Even today, the quantity of German bows available keeps prices moderate compared to other fine antique bows, making them a true bargain!

Back in the 19th century, Germany had access to some of the best Brazilian Pernambuco wood, as well as many highly skilled craftsmen. The most impressive German bows come from three Markneukirchen brands: Knopf, Pfretzschner and Nürnberger. 

The Knopf family, beginning with Christian Wilhelm Knopf’s (1767-1837) work, was notably influenced by Dodd and Tourte. The Kopf archetiers stretch across five generations, including Heinrich Knopf (1839-1875) and J. Wilhelm Knopf (1835-1915).

Hermann Richard Pfretzschner (1857-1921) worked in Jean-Baptiste Vuillaume’s Parisian workshop alongside François Nicolas Voirin, and Pfretzschner brought the latest French techniques home to Germany. He was extremely popular with professional musicians and worked at the court of Saxony.

Although the Nürnberger family had a long, rich tradition of violin and bow making, their brand was not formalized until Franz Albert Nürnberger II (1854-1931) and his sons, Carl Albert (1885-1971) and Philipp (1882-1946), grew the family business to reach international prominence around the turn of the twentieth century.

German antique bows can range in price from $1,200 for a good Markneukirchen workshop bow to over $10,000 for the finest examples from Pfretzschner or Nürnberger.

Viola Bows at Dolce Violins

Dolce Violins offers a wide variety of viola bows for every price point and musical taste. Every viola bow in our inventory is hand-selected by our managing director and cellist, Moses Sedler, for quality craftsmanship, playability and tone.

If you’re still not sure which viola bow is right for you, be sure to visit our shop or schedule an online consultation! Our expert staff will help you find the right bow at the right price.