Hasty Grace
The Strad magazine - March 2000
John Dodd's c. 1780 cello bow is a model of innovation and beauty
by Tim Baker
John Dodd, c. 1752-1839, would have been recognised as a great bow maker in any era, but, like his contemporary Francois Tourte, he had the good fortune to be working at a crucial stage of the development of the bow. What set these two men apart from others was their ability to embrace the changing needs of musicians, elevating their craft to a new level. In England this is more evident with Dodd's cello bows, this example being pernambuco, rather than the heavier snakewood favoured by earlier makers.
The head is beautifully graceful yet still has many file marks so often seen on the work of great craftsmen. The camber of the stick is about half that of a modern bow and the head is only slightly lower than the present standard.
There is no face, but the increased width of the head and the two slots at the top of the head mortise combine to allow for a wider ribbon of hair.
The frog is branded on both sides with the name of the shop (Forster) through which the bow was sold rather than the maker himself, a fashion initiated in England by Peter Wamsley and which continued for over a century.
Its outline bears a strong resemblance to earlier Italian designs, but the steeper angle adjacent to the heel implies contemporary Parisian influence.
The screw is a clear example of a rolled thread of a steeper pitch than seen on later bows. This type of thread, produced by forcing the shaft through hardened metal rollers, is more durable than the cut threads seen on most 20th-century bows.
The hasty fashioning on the stick mortises and roughness of the typically large nipple are evidence that Dodd worked with great speed.
By contrast, the adjuster is a true work of art. The proportion of the octagonal section is almost exactly the form which was to be adopted by most of the great French makers in years to come.
©2000 Tim Baker
