Nicolas Pierre (Pere) TOURTE

Settled in Paris about 1740. Was a clever bow maker ; his work showed great improvement on that of his predecessors; he used lighter wood and proportioned his bow more accurately, giving it the backward bend indispensable to its elasticity. He invented the nut worked by a propelling and withdrawing screw, the nut and head of the screw were generally of ivory. The bows are elegantly fluted for half or the whole of the length, the head is lighter and more elegant. He had two sons, Xaver and the celebrated François.