Charles Pecatte, 1889

Charles Peccatte (1850-1918) was born in Mirecourt to an established family of bow makers. His father, Francois Peccatte, and uncle, Dominique Peccatte, were both highly revered makers who apprenticed in the JB Vuillaume shop and established themselves as prominent makers of the time. Charles followed the family tradition and began working for August Lenoble around 1862, before moving to the shop of JB Vuillaume circa 1865 and subsequently working under the guidance of FN Voirin. Around 1881, Peccatte established his own workshop in Paris, where he remained for the rest of his life.

 

This particular example is stamped PECCATTE EXPon 1889 above the frog on each side of the stick. It was crafted for the Exposition Universelle in Paris held in 1889, and it features an octagonal pernambuco stick paired with a silver tip plate, silver winding, and a black leather grip. The frog is ebony fully mounted in silver, with Parisian eyes, and an octagonal silver/ebony button. While a bow of generous proportions, this lovely and rare example of a Charles Peccatte double bass bow would be at home in any serious bow collection. 165g.

 

This bow is accompanied by a certificate from Bernard Millant, and is featured on pg. 120-122 of Discovering Bows for the Double Bass by Chris Brown.