violin bow ID??

[jfield]

Any help with ID of this gold mounted violin bow would be greatly appreciated. It is unstamped as far as maker...but has remnant "Germ..." (Germany?) and on facet below Germ...is the number 65. Thanks in advance!!!

Jerry

[Ratcliffiddles]

Looks like Otto Hoyer

[Bernie R]

Looks like Otto Hoyer

It would be fascinating to know why.

[Ratcliffiddles]

Very distinctive shape of the frog.

[Ratcliffiddles]

http://theamaticollection.com/window.php?p=showFoto&adresFoto=files/products/Hoyer.jpg&tytylStrony=Fine%20cello%20bow%20by%20Otto%20Hoyer:

[martin swan]

damn, you beat me to it!

this one's a plain nickel-mounted job ....

[jfield]

Thanks, for that suggestion! I know his frogs always featured a very "soft" rounding of the edges. The shaft of the bow is faceted with the same kind of "soft" rounding on the edges. Would that also fit?

Are there specifics about the distinctive shape of the frog you could share?

[lyndon]

why would a gold mount hoyer bow be unstamped, or is there any possibility the stamp has worn off, have you looked under a magnifying glass for traces of any letters??

[jfield]

Lyndon,

Excellent question and recommendation! I will see what I can see.

[jfield]

There is something very faint.....but indecipherable at this point....any suggestions on how to "raise" a very faded stamp?

[Josh Henry]

There is something very faint.....but indecipherable at this point....any suggestions on how to "raise" a very faded stamp?

I agree that the frog looks like something that could have come from the Otto Hoyer workshop, but the head is not what I'd expect to see. Also, the button doesn't agree with Hoyer to my eye. Perhaps some better close up pictures might be more convincing.

One trick that I do to see a faint stamp is to rub a drop of mineral oil on the faint stamp. It raises and magnifies the letters, and is easily wiped away when done. There were many Hoyer bows made with the Leon Pique name, although I've not ever yet seen one in gold (silver and nickel, yes). If it did come from the Hoyer shop, there were several stamps used: Otto A. Hoyer; Otto A. Hoyer, Pariser; Leon Pique, Hoyer HP Pariser, and others, I'm sure.

[lyndon]

try direct sunlight at varying angles

[Bernie R]

Very distinctive shape of the frog.

Thank you Peter!

[jacobsaunders]

It only looks very vaguely reminicent of a Hoyer to me, and the photos don't really look like gold (is it real gold, or does my computer make it look like brass?). If it were a hoyer, I would expect a longer feurrle, and only a short ebony "third" of the button, also someone must have made a pretty comprehensive job of mangeling fitting a new face plate.

[Conor Russell]

I wonder do the frog and stick belong together; the head and button don't look right to me for a Hoyer, but I only know a few of them.

I also wonder about the metal fittings. I have a cheap old bow somewhere made with a goldy nickle, (was I told it was gilding metal?) and thought perhaps this might be something similar. It polishes up like gold, but takes a tarnish.

Here's a Hoyer I have with an old repair to the handle. As I say I haven't seen many, but those that I have seen are of a similar style.

Conor

[jfield]

In response to a few of you with questions....that more photos might be useful....here are more.

I had not touched the fittings in last photo....so I polished them to clean them up. I hope that was of some help. Here they are.

[lyndon]

jfield that doesnt help your case for it being real gold at least from looking at the pictures, real gold(10k or more) never tarnishes or needs polishing to look like gold, unless its just dirt, look at a gold ring and see if it looks identical, or you could go to the pawn shop and ask them or pay them to do a quick test on it.....

[martin swan]

The ferrule seems to be silver or nickel ....

[Josh Henry]

It would appear from your second set of pictures that the "gold" may not be original to the button. On the button, it appears that the metal bands are of smaller diameter than the ebony between them. The ferrule also appears not to match anything else. This makes me wonder if the gold is actually original on the frog, or came later. Also makes me think that the frog and button are not original to the stick.

At this point, I'd describe your bow as "interesting" that has a Hoyer-esque frog and later button.

[jfield]

Martin, it's just the reflection on the ferule that makes it "silver" -- same color as rest in real life...sorry. I can post another photo of the ferule if you like.

It wasn't tarnished but had oily gunk & maybe some rosin on the underneath of the face plate.

I don't expertise to know...but it's like my wedding ring. Perhaps I should get it tested as you suggested, Lyndon.

[jfield]

Josh, thanks for your suggestions. It's a nicely balance bow....was in the case of a violin I purchased recently.

[lyndon]

the problem could just be you camera or software, your colours look a little bland, not bright, kind of like a decades old faded photo print, on my screen it doesnt look like gold, but if your sure it looks exactly like your wedding ring it probably is gold, its usually easier to be fooled by fake silver than fake gold IMO

edit, misunderstood joshs post, sorry.