This bow stamped * ALBERT NÜRNBERGER * with a star flanking the name, is in impeccable condition, perfectly straight and with excellent camber. It has superb playing qualities.
With some 15 Nürnberger makers listed, starting in the early-19th century - and since several of them had Albert as one of their first names - it becomes challenging to establish precisely which maker was involved, particularly with the bows from around the mid-20th century and later. The Nürnberger studio also employed a number of apprentices and master craftsmen, which made things even more complex.
This bow is not very old, probably from around 1950 or a bit later, and could be the work of any one of two makers, possibly three. The first candidate is Carl Albert (1885 - 1971) and another is Karl Albert (1906 - 1972). There is also Christian Albert (b. 1947) but he may have been too young to have made this bow, unless the bow was made some time after 1960.
Many of the Nürnberger bows currently in South Africa were imported into this country by the Danish violinmaker, Amon Bilmark (1894 -1961) who was based in Durban and who recognized the exceptional quality of the Nürnberger bows. This bow is of high-grade pernambuco cut to an round stick. The frog, adjuster button and silver lapping appear to be original.
With a weight of 59.7 gm this bow is just shy of the norm of 60 gm for violin bows. Its balance and smoothness of performance is immediately noticeable. The stick is firm, making for very good string contact and control. It was in professional use until recently.
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The Stick :
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Pernambuco cut round
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The Nut :
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Plain ebony without eye. Original
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Mountings :
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Silver with plain silver adjuster
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Lapping :
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Silver lapping. Black leather thumbpad.
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Tip Slide :
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High grade cow bone.
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Condition :
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Impeccable condition, Straight with good camber. The original ivory tip slide was cracked and was replaced with a new bone slide by Svend Christensen. This conforms to CITES requirements relative to the use of elephant ivory.
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