Comments on: What Are Violin Bows Made Of?

By: New Violinist

New Violinist — Wed, 25 May 2022 17:42:20 +0000

Hi Becky,
To the best of my knowledge, fiberglass was first seen in use with violin bows in 1962. The product was developed and patented by Glasser. I would think therefor, that any composite bow from that time period would be branded as a Glasser bow.
You can find the historical reference on their website here: https://shop.glasserbows.com/aboutus.asp
Since they do hold the patent and have a long history in bow manufacturing, I would suggest contacting them directly to see if they can help with the information you’re looking for.
Good luck!

By: Becky Downs

Becky Downs — Wed, 25 May 2022 05:31:43 +0000

Hello! I’m trying to replace a violin and bow from the 1920s and a cello and bow from the 1960s. I’ve been told that bows are now made with a core that is not wood with only a wood sheathing, and only the more expensive bows are solid wood. Could you tell me when this change occurred? I’m pretty sure both the violin and cello bows were solid wood, but without verification from an expert, the insurance is unwilling to cover the higher cost of a solid wood bow. Could you send me data proving my bows that were stolen would have been solid wood (simply due to the time period made) and not composite? Thank you!