An Excellent American Viola Bow By John Norwood Lee, S/I.

John Norwood Lee began his career in Chicago in the workshop of Bein & Fushi in 1977. Although he continued making bows for that firm, among several others, he went into business for himself and opened his own workshop at which he now has two apprentices of his own. His bows are highly regarded for their playing qualities and are used and well loved by professionals all over the world. He offers a variety of tools at different price points, but charges $6,500 today for his personal masterworks.

This early example of John Norwood Lee’s work features a beautifully flamed pernambuco stick and a simple-faced ivory frog with silver mounts. Stamped by the maker to the player side of the handle and also additionally ”Bein & Fushi” to the audience side and finished with silver tinsel lapping and lizard leather for a final balanced weight of 66.7 grams; providing a broad, colorful bead of sound with clearly ringing overtones and smooth, effortless transitions between articulations and styles.