10th Anniversary

I mark a new chapter and a new beginning with my tenth anniversary as an established, self-employed bow maker.

For a decade, I have been established as The Bow Surgery. The name implies repairing and fixing bows, but there is far more to my work, and to reflect this I have changed the name to The Bow Business. The broader title is better suited to cover the many facets to my work, which include bow making, in-depth restoration, testing new materials, buying and selling old bows and consultation with other businesses and private individuals.

My business is up to date with a social media presence, and with an intern to support me we create a monthly newsletter and regular blogs that relate to bow making, plus other news such as musical events, aspects of my work, interviews with well-known players, thoughts on new techniques in repair, and experiments with synthetic hair. We also look at the astonishing range of different materials on bows and where they come from, and ethical or legal concerns regarding their use. Then there will be articles on selected old bows in my studio which are available for trial and perhaps a mention of the research I am doing into the remarkable life of the French musician Jean Prosper Guivier, whose son established the shop J. P. Guivier & Co., where I worked and learned to repair bows.

I thank everyone who has came to my studio and supported my establishment. I appreciate your support and I wouldn’t want any other job! I have a passion for bow making and want to share it with you. Secondly, a big thank you to Cockpit Arts where I have my studio; they continue to give me business support and guidance for which I am grateful.

Through the last ten years, I have grown strong and positive relationships with professional and amateur orchestras, freelance players and organisations that I admire and respect. I am excited and optimistic about the future of The Bow Business and hope that you will continue to take an interest in its work.