Heinrich Carl Knopf (1839–1875) was a German bowmaker or bogenmacher.

Biography

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Knopf came from a dynasty of bow makers. He studied bow making in Markneukirchen under his uncle, Christian Knopf. He was a journeyman in Leipzig working for Ludwig Bausch. Upon the death of his father, Karl Wilhelm, he returned to Markneukirchen where he became his successor.[1] He also supplied bows to German shops such as Bausch, R. Weichold and the Russian Nicolaus Kittel.[2]

"The bows (he) made for Kittel are quite different in style from the ones he supplied to the German shops."[3] — Kenway Lee

"His bows are exquisite, showing mastery in technical as well as stylistic aspects. His son, Heinrich Richard gen. Knopf (1860–1939) (known as Henry) became an excellent bow & violin maker who established what was to become a very important and successful shop in New York City (from 1879–1931)."

Auction World Record: Tarisio Berlin October 2021 Lot 80 Violin Bow Nikolai KITTEL made by Heinrich Knopf (c.1865-70) €94,400 = US$109,500

References

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  1. ^ *Deutsche Bogenmacher-German Bow Makers Klaus Grunke 2000
  2. ^ [STRAD magazine June 2021 - Knopf Dynasty (A Tangled Web), by Gennady Filimonov]
  3. ^ *VSA 14 #2 1995 Nicolaus Kittel: The Russian Tourte by Kenway Lee 183
  • STRAD magazine June 2021 - Knopf Dynasty (A Tangled Web), by Gennady Filimonov
  • Die Geigen und Lautenmacher - by Lutgendorff, Frankfurt 1922
  • STRAD magazine - "Nikolaus Ferder Kittel: The Russian Tourte" by Harvey and Georgeanna Whistler
  • Encyclopedia of the Violin - Alberto Bachmann
  • Roda, Joseph (1959). Bows for Musical Instruments. Chicago: W. Lewis. OCLC 906667.
  • Vannes, Rene (1985) [1951]. Dictionnaire Universel del Luthiers (vol.3). Bruxelles: Les Amis de la musique. OCLC 53749830.
  • William, Henley (1969). Universal Dictionary of Violin & Bow Makers. Brighton; England: Amati. ISBN 0-901424-00-5.
  • VSA 14 #2 1995 Nicolaus Kittel: The Russian Tourte by Kenway Lee 183
  • Deutsche Bogenmacher-German Bow Makers Klaus Grunke, Hans Karl Schmidt, Wolfgang Zunterer 2000