Kaspar Pankow

Bow Maker

After initial training as a violin maker in Cremona, Kaspar Pankow learned bow making in the West Dean workshops (Sussex, England) from 2006 to the present, under the guidance of Tim Baker and Derek Wilson. He has also attended all the Oberlin bow making workshops since 2011 where he has worked alongside some of the best contemporary makers.

For ten years, Kaspar worked in London in the workshop of Florian Leonhard. There he had the opportunity to study and document many fine examples, mainly of the French and English schools, which has greatly informed his work. Kaspar’s bows are entirely handcrafted according to traditional working methods.

He takes inspiration from the great Parisian bow makers of the late 18th and early 19th centuries such as F. X. Tourte, Jacob Eury, Jean Pierre Marie Persoit and Dominique Peccatte. Kaspar is fascinated by the beauty of their bows and even more so by their extraordinary playing qualities. In 2015, Kaspar moved to Switzerland and is focused on making bows, alongside doing restoration and repairs.

Awards: Concours International Dominique Peccatte 1ere Edition, 2016
1st prize awarded by the playing jury and two certificates of excellence for workmanship