This bow represents the sequel to the “clip-in-frog” early bow. The ratchet with its hoop allows the tension of the bow hair to be finely adjusted as the weather becomes more humid, and also prevents the bow frog from coming out or being lost if the hair becomes too damp. This style of bow was used in 19th century and it retained the length of the early baroque bow of approximately 67cm or 26 inches with a weight between 45 and 55 grams. It is difficult to trace the history of the crémaillère bow because there are so few existing examples and they rarely appear in paintings or drawings. An early example is illustrated in a painting, dated 1713 called ‘The Allegory of the Arts’ by Jean Baptiste Oudry. $2,800.
