W.E. Hill and Sons “Hill” violin bow

William Ebsworth Hill, the patriarch of W.E. Hill, the patriarch in London of W.E. Hill and Sons, was notable as a skilled violin restorer before sending two sons to train as violin makers in France. He established this famous company with them in 1880, after their return from Mirecourt. From the very beginning, their new workshops out in Hanwell produced bows as well as violins, and their excellence has contributed greatly to the Hill company’s on-going reputation. This well-balanced bow, branded “Hill”, has a great blend of stiffness and flexibility, producing a warm, creamy sound with good articulation. As with other bows we have encounter with this fourth-grade stamp, the allocated quality level greatly underestimated the playability of the stick, making for a great, all round players bow at a much lower price than their top grade bows.