A Cello Bow by Joseph Henry

Joseph Henry, born in Mirecourt in 1823, likely began his training there before moving to Paris in 1837 to join the workshop of Georges Chanot. Shortly thereafter, he joined the workshop of Dominique Peccatte where he completed his training and began to make bows in collaboration with Peccatte. By 1845, Henry would make bows fully on his own, and in 1847 after Peccatte departed Paris for Mirecourt, he formed a business partnership with Pierre Simon. There, he would collaborate with him in his Parisian premises, which were formerly owned by Peccatte. Although their partnership is believed to have ended acrimoniously in 1851, their collaboration during those years was notably productive. They received considerable acclaim for their independent and joint efforts, even winning an Honourable Mention at the Great Exhibition in London in 1851

In 1851, Henry established his own shop and his talents as a maker were fully realized. It is around this time that he likely formed a collaborative relationship with J. B. Vuillaume. What seems apparent is that Peccatte imparted his teachings from Persoit regarding the cambering of the bow (the shaping and imprinting of the curve of the bow) to both Henry and Simon. This collaboration led to the establishment of what is considered the best wood-bending school in France: Persoit-Peccatte-Henry-Simon. Even 150 to 200 years later, it is rare to find a bow made by any of these esteemed craftsmen that is not still in perfect working order.

Henry became one of the most significant bowmakers during the golden era of French bowmaking, and his bows, such as this cello bow pictured here, are rare and highly sought after.