Maker and Restorer of Fine Bows Expert Appraisals Baroque Bows © Michael J. Taylor           arly bows are more varied in style and character that the ‘modern’ bow due in part, not only, to the types of materials used and the development of instruments but also to the style of music written. The term ‘Baroque’ is also somewhat of  a misnomer as stringed  instruments  were  also  used in the ‘Renaissance’ period as well and, although crude by modern standards, would have had bows made for instruments  either by the instrument makers themselves or by local woodcarvers. Some of the earliest period of bows would have been made from local timbers and coupled with a complete lack of importance for the  maintenance of them probably accounts for why the vast majority of these bows have just disappeared.      After the discovery of the Americas, the trade in exotic hardwoods rose considerably and timbers called ‘snakewood’ and ‘pernambuco’ became the accepted woods for bow making. The very hard nature of these timbers have helped the conservancy of the bows over a considerable period of time. Pernambuco, named after the region in Brazil, eventually became the most accepted timber. Snakewood, a heavier and harder timber really requires fluting to lighten the weight and make the bow more manageable.      The list below describes the many variants of ‘Baroque’  Viol and Violin families of bows and can be made with either pernambuco wood or snakewood.                                                     Sizes Violin                      Treble/Alto viol Viola                       Tenor viol Violoncello             Bass viol Double bass            Violone                                                        Variations Plain stick (octagonal or round) Fluted stick (octagonal only) Fluted and reeded stick Ebony frog and button Mammoth frog and button Ornate carving on head Ornate carving on frog (ebony) Ornate carving on frog (mammoth)