Nikolaus Kittel
Saint Petersburg, 1805–1868
Bow maker, active from 1825. Family of Austrian origin. Known as the ‘Russian Tourte’. Made several violins and appointed luthier to the Czar’s court, but primarily recognised as a bow maker of genius. — John Dilworth
Auction Price History
Highest auction price
21 results
| Type | Details | Auction house | Sold | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violin Bow | Gold mounted, round stick stamped Kittel, frog and button later Lot 89 | — | February 2016 | £22,973est. $ 30,000-50,000 |
| Cello Bow | Silver mounted, round stick stamped Kittel, ebony frog with Paris eye, button with two silver bands Lot 115 | — | November 2015 | £15,600est. £ 7,000-10,000 |
| Violin Bow | Silver mounted, round stick stamped Kittel, frog and button not original to the stick Lot 163 | — | May 2015 | £18,297est. $ 20,000-30,000 |
| Cello Bow | Gold mounted, round stick stamped Kittel, tortoiseshell frog Lot 22 | — | March 2015 | £143,000est. £ 90,000-150,000 |
| Violin Bow | G/E 62.0 g. Attributed to | — | June 2011 | £4,800 |
| Cello Bow | N/E 78.0 g. Attributed to | — | October 2010 | £1,051 |
| Viola Bow | S/E 60.5 g. Made for workshop of | — | October 2010 | £3,154 |
| Cello Bow | S/E 78.0 g. | — | April 2010 | £14,793 |
| Cello Bow | S/E 72.5 g. (broken and repaired head) Attributed to | — | February 2010 | £1,693 |
| Violin Bow | G/T 59.5 g. frog & button of the period & probably by "L. Bausch" | — | March 2009 | £16,380 |
| Violin Bow | G/T 56.0 g. (possible damage to butt end) | — | March 2008 | £8,775 |
| Violin Bow | G/T 59.0 g. (gold & tortoiseshell mounts probably later) | — | March 2008 | £23,400 |
| Violin Bow | S/E 58.0 g. (frog & button not original) Attributed to | — | May 2007 | £1,387 |
| Violin Bow | S/E 59.5 g. Attributed to | — | February 2006 | £2,485 |
| Violin Bow | S/E 61 g. | — | July 2004 | £14,400 |
| Violin Bow | S/E 56 g. | — | November 1992 | £3,300 |
| Violin Bow | S/E 58 g. | — | November 1989 | £6,600 |
| Violin Bow | S/E 55 g. | — | March 1986 | £5,060 |
| Violin Bow | S/E 61 g. | — | October 1984 | £3,960 |
| Violin Bow | S/E 60 g. | — | April 1983 | £2,200 |
| Violin Bow | G/T 59 g. | — | March 1981 | £6,154 |
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Biographies
The overview above is drawn from the following published accounts. Read them in the original:
John Dilworth+
KITTEL, Nikolaus Born 1805, died 1868 St Petersburg Russia. Bow maker, active from 1825. Family of Austrian origin. Known as the ‘Russian Tourte’. Made several violins and appointed luthier to the Czar’s court, but primarily recognised as a bow maker of genius. Used a Tourte model but with his own distinctive mannerisms: generally light in weight and often making use of figured pernambuco. Employed several craftsmen including Vladimir Ivanoff, Heinrich Knopf, and possibly Ludwig Bausch. Many modern authorities in fact attribute the majority of his work to foreign hands. Bows branded: KITTEL. Violin of 1833 and cello dated 1827 in the Moscow Conservatoire collection: very clean and sophisticated work bearing the hallmarks of fine quality Parisian craftsmanship. Printed labels: N.Kittel. Petersburg. 1827 N.Kittel. Petersburg.1833 Nicolaus Kittel / faber instrumentorum caesarianus / Petropoli Anno 1842
Willibald Leo Lütgendorff+
Er galt lange als der beste Geigenmacher in Russland und hat auch sehr
gute Bogen gemacht.
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