Excellent playing French bow, pictured in the book "L'archet" by Bernard Millant Vol. 2, pg. 290, bow #14.
In the history of bow making, French makers of the early to mid 19th century are generally considered the finest and most important. Among these, Nicolas Maline is considered among the most important. The son of Guillaume, Nicolas studied violin making with his father, but unlike his brothers, he always had a preference for bow making. He worked with Pajeot alongside Nicolas Maire. By 1840 he was making bows for J.B.Vuillaume. In fact Maline helped develop the “Vuillaume Style” frog and continued to make bows for Vuillaume for most of his career. His work was especially appreciated by Vuillaume and it seems that Maline was his favorite maker. In spite of all of his success and recognition, he never worked in Paris, preferring to stay in Mirecourt. This exceptional bow is a fine example of this master’s work.