Ernst Heinrich Roth french bow--quality and value?
 

I picked this bow up as part of a package deal, but I play German, so I'm not very interested in keeping it, although I've toyed with learning french to see if I like it better...


Seems like a very nice stick, beautiful wood. Needs a rehair. The wrap on one side of the wire winding (sorry for incorrect nomenclature) is a bit frayed too (see pics).


What do I have here, and what's it worth roughly?


Thanks!

Roth?
 

There are two makers by that name but I doubt either one of them made this Bow. The Brand Stamp looks like it was made yesterday.

The Bow could be worth the price of a Re-hair and clean up but maybe not or maybe more. It is a commercially made factory Bow at best made maybe in Germany but hard to say these days. It could have a few years on it if the usage was light. A bow well played can start to look old in a year or two depending on the player. Some people's hands preserve the wood and finish and others sweat on it and make it look old in a year or two. I can't say much more without having it in my hands to examine. I have an old German made French bow here that I got last week as a package deal with a bass I bought. It is fairly old but I doubt at this point it's even worth the price of a re-hair.

I have seen in my hands an old Cello (early-mid 20th century) by Ernst Heinrich Roth but it was the real deal. A nicely handmade Cello. This Bow looks more like a factory job with a famous name stamped in it. Take it to a nearby Violin shop and see if you have any luck with the age and origin at least. If not, send it somewhere if you suspect it may be genuine. This name as well as several others appear in many newly made instruments and bows having nothing to do with these families or even the era in which they lived.

I heard today on Public Radio a Trumpet Concerto by a young player featured in a special show the airs every Saturday. When asked what kind of Trumpet he was playing he said it was a 'Bach Stradivarius'. I was never aware that these two people, a composer and a Violin maker ever collaborated on making such instruments. Did you?:confused:

Hey, I will be the first one to tell you that the names on the KSB Bows were made up by yours truely as well as the 'New Amati' DBs I put out in only a small number. Name branding is common and not a bad idea as long as you are truthful about the usage. ;)

The Bach company was founded by Vincent Bach (Schrotenbach) in 1918. So at least in this case, part of the name has some real meaning.

lol..
 

Ok, so I 'sit' corrected..:p

But, who in the world seeing that name thinks it's Vincent Bach and not a 'borrowed' J.S. in the name? :confused:

In fairness, it could have also been CPE or JC Bach as well. :)

Or my favorite, the last (and least talented) of Bach's children - PDQ Bach!

Any brass player.