Nicolas Maline I (1822-1877)

Nicolas Maline I

Nicolas Maline I (1822-1877) was born into a family of violin- and bowmakers; however, many details of his life remain a mystery, and for a long time, his work was confused with that of his father, Guillaume Maline. Most likely, Maline apprenticed under his father before taking his first job at Étienne Pajeot’s workshop, where he developed a friendship with fellow archetier Nicolas Maire.

Maline moved to Paris in 1840 to work for Jean-Baptiste Vuillaume, but at some point after 1849, he returned to Mirecourt to open his own atelier. Maline quickly distinguished himself, and by 1855, his workshop had expanded enough to employ several assistants, including his son, Nicolas, who joined the team in 1870. The final seven years of Maline’s life marks a decline in bow quality, but that is almost certainly due to supply shortages from the Franco-Prussian war, not Maline’s skills.

Maline’s output reflects the shifting styles of bow-making in France in the nineteenth century. His earlier bows are broad and heavy, showing Peccatte’s influence, but during his time working for Vuillaume, Maline eventually developed a finer, more rounded approach based on Vuillaume’s model. Maline used a wide variety of materials, including snakewood, ironwood, and Pernambuco wood mounted in nickel-silver, silver, gold, or even tortoise-shell. Maline proved a significant figure in Mirecourt’s bow-making community, and his influence would be apparent for decades after his death seen through the work of Martin, Simon, and Cuinot.