violin bow
(Charles) Jean-Baptiste Collin-Mezin
built in Paris in ± 1910
A violin bow, made by Ch.J. Collin-Mezin in Mirecourt or Paris, ca. 1910. Weight: 64 grams.
History of this instrument
In 1995, the owner of this bow passed away. The bow, along with two violins and three other bows, was donated to the Musical Instrument Fund by her brother and sister. Daniël Held became the first player to use the bow. Bob van der Ent followed him. Anoek Brokaar then played the bow for nearly 9 years. Raphaella Engelsberg, Jeanine van Amsterdam, and Stijn van Uffelen also played with the bow. Karina Sosnowska has been the current player since 2023. More than 20 years after its owner last held it, the bow is still played with great pleasure, and in this way we honor the previous owner of the French bow.
About the builder (Charles) Jean-Baptiste Collin-Mezin
Until the mid-18th century, most violin makers made their own bows. N.L. Tourte was the first to specialize and become a bow maker. The Collin-Mézin family remained masters in both fields for a long time. Both their stringed instruments...