Tool Pattern Analysis

One of the most important aspects of examining an old bow for authenticity is to look for the tool marks left intentionally or unintentionally by the maker. These can be found on practically every surface of the greatest bows and considerably aid in identifying and verifying the maker. A bow which has been overpolished with abrasives or had the chamfers “cleaned up” is greatly compromised, sometimes to the point of being unidentifiable. With TPA (Tool Pattern Analysis) the French Bows Research Institute is researching and cataloguing the original tool marks of the different bow makers. This collected data is of inestimable value in determining the original maker of a bow, and whether it is a genuine work or a copy.