Amati > Makers Archive > Francois Xavier Tourte

Francois Xavier Tourte

Auction price history

Highest auction price

£178,183

Type	Details	Sold	Price
Violin Bow	Silver mounted, octagonal stick unstamped, frog and button made by Nicolas Maire, frog chevalled	March 2024	£178,183
Violin Bow	S/E 59.0 g. (frog & button later)	November 2011	£31,952
Cello Bow	S/E 77 g. Paris, early 19th C. [Probably by]	October 2011	£27,500
Violin Bow	G/T 60 g.	October 2011	£102,000
Violin Bow	S/E 49.5 g. no winding (frog & button not original)	June 2011	£42,984
Violin Bow	S/E 55 g. Paris, 1790 c. [Ascribed to]	April 2011	£62,707
Cello Bow	S/E 77.5 g. [Attributed to]	March 2011	£6,000
Violin Bow	S/E 57 g. France, 19th C. [Ascribed to]	March 2011	£9,375
Violin Bow	S/E 50.5 g. no winding (frog & button not original)	December 2010	£40,388
Cello Bow	S/E 79.0 g. (frog & button probably later) [Attributed to & possibly by]	October 2010	£5,257
Violin Bow	S/E 52.5 g. without hair [Attributed to]	April 2010	£8,642
Violin Bow	S/E 61 g. 1810 c. (frog later) [Probably by]	March 2010	£15,600
Violin Bow	S/E 54.0 g. frog made by "D. Peccatte" in the style of "Tourte"	October 2009	£37,074
Violin Bow	S/E 57.0 g. [Attributed to]	May 2009	£13,199
Violin Bow	Ivory 39 g. without hair nor winding	December 2008	£13,822
Violin Bow	S/E 57.5 g. (frog & button not original)	October 2008	£19,884
Violin Bow	G/E 56 g. certified by J. Tubbs, 1909 (adjustor later) [Ascribed to]	October 2008	£4,869
Cello Bow	S/E 82.7 g. with replica frog	March 2007	£103,500
Violin Bow	S/E 53.5 g. frog by "Jacob Eury" (head and mortice altered)	December 2006	£27,563
Cello Bow	S/E 81.5 g. Also sold with a silver and ebony replica frog	November 2006	£105,256
Violin Bow	S/E 53 g. without winding [frog by "Lupot II"]	June 2006	£44,518
Violin Bow	G/E 57 g. Without wrap (later frog and button)	May 2006	£22,129
Violin Bow	S/E 52.5 g. (frog not original) [Probably by]	November 2005	£12,000
Cello Bow	G/I 80 g. (frog & button by "E. Pajeot")	June 2005	£24,150
Violin Bow	S/E 56 g.	April 2005	£15,038
Cello Bow	S/E 74.5 g. without wrapping,with frog copy	December 2004	£45,581
Violin Bow	G/T 60 g.	May 2003	£65,600
Violin Bow	Ivory 43 g. 'Cramer' model, also by "Louis"	June 2002	£10,991
Cello Bow	S/E 90 g.	December 2000	£24,779
Bass Bow	S/E 165 g.	June 2000	£47,823
Violin Bow	S/E 58 g.	December 1999	£27,150
Violin Bow	S/E 56 g.	March 1997	£43,300
Violin Bow	S/E 58 g.	March 1995	£24,150
Violin Bow	S/E 64 g.	March 1995	£6,900
Violin Bow	Ebony 60 g. Open frog	March 1995	£2,645
Violin Bow	G/T 58 g.	November 1993	£52,100
Violin Bow	G/T 58 g.	November 1993	£49,900
Violin Bow	S/E 54 g.	June 1992	£5,500
Violin Bow	S/E 58 g.	March 1992	£11,632
Violin Bow	S/I 59 g.	November 1991	£8,800
Violin Bow	S/E 58 g. (later frog)	June 1990	£9,900
Violin Bow	S/E 61 g. (later frog)	November 1989	£10,450
Cello Bow	S/E 81 g.	November 1989	£22,000
Violin Bow	G/E 61 g.	March 1989	£15,400
Violin Bow	G/T 58 g.	November 1988	£79,200
Violin Bow	S/E 58 g.	November 1988	£24,200
Violin Bow	S/E 58 g.	November 1988	£22,000
Violin Bow	S/E 60 g.	November 1988	£22,000
Violin Bow	S/T 62 g. (later frog)	November 1988	£18,700
Violin Bow	S/E 56 g.	November 1988	£16,500
Violin Bow	G/E 56 g. (later frog)	November 1988	£15,426
Cello Bow	S/E 79 g.	November 1987	£15,400
Violin Bow	S/E 57 g.	April 1987	£8,800
Violin Bow	S/E 60 g. (later frog)	April 1987	£9,900
Violin Bow	G/T 60 g.	November 1986	£28,600
Violin Bow	S/E 50 g.	January 1981	£7,822

Biographies

John Dilworth Cecie Stainer Willibald Leo Lütgendorff Henri Poidras

John Dilworth

TOURTE, François Xavier Born 1748, died 1835 Paris France. Bow maker, known as ‘Tourte le jeune‘. Younger brother of Nicolas Leonard Tourte and son of Nicolas Pierre, below. Acknowledged as the most important archetier in the history of the craft, commonly referred to as ‘the Stradivari of the bow’. Trained as a watchmaker from c.1760. After his father’s death in 1764, he came under the protection of his elder brother, and appears to have been drawn into bow making as his assistant. He is credited with making pernambuco the standard material for the sticks, introducing it to his brother’s workshop and making the earlier use of ironwood or snakewood obsolete. In 1782 the virtuoso J. B. Viotti came to Paris and made contact with the Tourte brothers. The younger François Xavier seems to have been quicker to respond to his requirements for a more even and flexible stick, and developed the familiar ‘incurved’ camber of the standard modern bow. Another notable violinist, Rudolph Kreutzer, was instrumental in François Xavier developing the form and function of the frog to keep a more controlled flat ribbon of hair, through the metal ‘D’ ring or ferrule. By about 1785 he had laid down the formal pattern for the modern classical bow. From this point he used his elder brother’s brand, with the ‘L’ removed, signifying that Nicolas Léonard was no longer active. The next phase of his career is suggested by his production of octagonal, rather than round sticks after c.1800, and his move to 10 Quai de l’École. In this his ‘golden period’ he arrived at the ideal standard lengths and weights of the violin, viola, and cello bow (previously were highly variable) and the fully mounted functionally modern frog. One authenticated double bass bow is known. He worked until at least 1833, and retired to 38 rue Dauphine, beside the Seine. His work remains the most admired and desirable of all the numerous and gifted French bow makers that followed his inspiration. Brand: TOURTE. Business card (1774): Tourte le Jeune / fait et vend toutes sortes d’archets / Demeure quai de l’école, maison / de marchand de musique, ci / devant Caffé du Parnasse No. 10 / au 4me A Paris