A Contemporary Viola Bow By David William Halsey

Native Michigander, David William Halsey came to bowmaking through his background in instrument restoration and had already attained well over a decade of practical experience in repairs before studying with William Salchow in the summers of 1986 and 1988 at the University of New Hampshire. He was first introduced to technical bowmaking by Salchow a decade earlier while participating in an advanced restoration course through Hofstra University and transitioned into full time bow making in 1990. Halsey’s work is clean, precise, and demonstrates a developed personal style. After more than 30 years of consistent work, he ‘retired’ in 2022, yet remains somewhat casually active in service side of the trade.

This example of David William Halsey’s work dates to the early 2000’s and belonged to an Atlanta based violist who passed away some seventeen or such years ago; Well selected pernambuco, with a strong, octagonal shaft, and highly personalized frog; yielding a broad and somewhat silky timbre of a darker texture. The stick, ammonia treated to a highly aesthetic chocolate coloring prior to varnish.