Description
The inspiration for Arcos Brasil Replica bows comes from the great French master bowmakers of the 19th and 20th centuries. Patterned after the work of Dominique Peccatte, Joseph Alfred Lamy, and Eugene Sartory, Replica bows are made from best choice pernambuco sticks and feature individually crafted frogs made from high quality ebony fitted with sterling silver and beautiful abalone details. Makers of Arcos Brasil Replica bows had the privilege to apprentice under the guidance of master bowmaker Pierre Guillaume at his atelier in Brussels. These exceptionally well balanced bows are capable of producing wide ranging nuances and articulations in the hands of advanced and professional players.
About Arcos Brasil
Although Pernambuco wood is only known to grow in the coastal Brazilian rain forest, bowmaking in a workshop setting did not begin in Brasil until the early 1970’s. Since its beginnings, this art has evolved in the northern region of the state of Espirito Santo to become today the most respected and consistently praised worldwide. Arcos Brasil was in many instances the pioneer of those positive changes. From the company's onset in the 1996, concerns with consistent quality coupled with beauty and playability allowed Arcos Brasil to position itself as the foremost producer of fine pernambuco bows in the region.
The Making Process
Pernambuco wood selection is one of the the primary factors in the production of fine bows. Many attempts have been made to scientifically quantify the attributes that make Pernambuco the wood of choice, however, like the fine art of making a beautiful Katana or an exquisite jewelry masterpiece, human touch and experience speaks much louder. Selection is followed by cutting the wood into bow blanks. This process is carefully carried out by Arcos Brasil's highly trained professionals to avoid unnecessary waste and create blanks with the appropriate wood grain direction. The blanks are then stored and dry naturally over a span of many years.
Processing the sticks is important before reaching the bowmaker’s bench. The wood goes through turning on a special lathe, receives an initial rough carving, and is bent to the standard camber. Here and throughout the entire making progression, the wood is thoroughly inspected for flaws or potential weaknesses. The bone tip and ebony strip are glued to the previously shaped surfaces of the head. The rough graduation and head shaping is then completed by skilled workers aspiring to become bowmakers.
After preparation, the sticks are graded by quality and specifically selected for individual makers. Arcos Brasil's talented makers concentrate on creating of works of art, carefully graduating the stick to its final shape, while using their experienced hands to approximate the desired flexibility and strength along the bow. The heads are traditionally shaped to the style and individuality of each bow maker. The camber is fine-tuned during this stage, mortises are cut, and the frogs are carefully fit onto the stick. One of the last tasks is to fit the bow with the proper amount of horse hair, perform a final inspection, and make any adjustments necessary. The maker then proudly brands his name stamp onto the stick.
In the final stage, the bow is moved to a humidity controlled finishing room. The stick’s surface is finished by a gradual sanding from 350 to 1200 grit, surface oxidation, and finally an application by gifted hands of a traditional mix of oil and shellac. After taking into consideration the desired total weight and balance, silver wire or whalebone are chosen and meticulously applied to each bow. Occasionally, gold or silver French tinsel and silk thread are also used. The finished bows undergo a final inspection, are carefully packaged, and start their long voyage across the globe to the hands of inspiring young artists.
