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Joseph Henry & Pierre Simon |
 
Joseph Henry and Pierre Simon were, arguably, the greatest disciples of the Dominique Peccatte ‘school’ of bowmaking. While their styles were - for periods of their careers - derivatives of Peccatte’s, their workmanship was in no way inferior to that of the more celebrated maker. These three master bowmakers shared links at various times throughout their careers:they were all born and initially trained in Mirecourt; they all relocated (independently) to Paris and they all worked at various times for J.B.Vuillaume.
A further relevant link was that Henry was engaged by Simon, c.1848, to work together in partnership (in what were formally D.Peccatte’s Parisian premises). Although this association is thought to have ended acrimoniously in 1851, these few years were extremely fruitful for this pairing. Their work - both independently and in collaboration - garnered considerable acclaim, on one occasion winning them an Honourable Mention at the Great Exhibition in London in 1851.
It was during this period that the bow illustrated was made. Although wonderfully harmonious in its design and realisation, the collaboration does not disguise the authorship of the major parts: the stick and head were made by Henry while the frog and button were made by Simon.
Henry made many swan-head cello bows during his career. The head of this bow is typical of the model that he established: it is more upright, compared with other great 19th century makers’ equivalent work, and the back of the head is relatively squarer. The transition between the rounded back of the head and the sides is sharp and clearly defined (as opposed to Peccatte's, for example, which are fully rounded in this area). The work at the front of the head is exemplary: despite there being no sharp ‘ridge line’, the carving is beautifully symmetrical and masterfully executed.
The frog displays the grandest of Simon’s style, being perfectly proportioned and featuring his typical square, open throat. The workmanship is first class, made with a precision that was unrivalled in his day. The button matches the proportions of the frog and the generous handle. It features a single, full and rounded collar, and the overall form is subtly tapered (the back ring being of a slightly larger diameter than the front ring).
It is rare to find a bow from the mid 19th century so well preserved. Bow lovers can be thankful that this example from a great collaboration has been kept in collections for posterity and our current appreciation.
Peter Oxley, Oxford
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