Joseph Henry

Who was Joseph Henry?

Joseph Henry was a French bow maker for string instruments.

Henry studied with Dominique Peccatte and established his own shop in 1851. His bows are quite rare and sought after. They usually play well, but miss the highest quality of bows that were made by his teacher.

Henry was engaged by Pierre Simon, c.1848, to work together in partnership. Although this association is thought to have ended acrimoniously in 1851, these few years were extremely fruitful for this pairing. Their work - both independently and in collaboration - garnered considerable acclaim, on one occasion winning them an Honourable Mention at the Great Exhibition in London in 1851. - Peter Oxley, Oxford

Peccatte’s two most well known pupils were Joseph Henry and Pierre Simon. Henry produced a bow similar to a Peccatte but of a somewhat lower general quality. Henry bows sometimes play very well but with the occasional exception seem coarse and clunky by comparison with a fine Peccatte. Simon, on the other hand, was one of the most skilled makers ever.

He made bows on several patterns and of varying weights. Sometimes he used a model similar to the Peccatte interpretation of Tourte, and these heavier Simon bows play similarly to Peccatte bows. But the classic, bell-shaped Simon head is derived from an earlier Tourte model. These tend to be lighter and more flexible than the classic Peccatte model. The finest Simon bows can have a highly attractive, lithe flexibility and a genuine beauty of tone.