Other
Josiah Chapman
1860

As simple as it seems, this is one of the most fascinating items in the collection. The eye in the middle of the frog (the button-like insert in the part of the bow that holds the strings in place), is actually a crystal lens with micro-photograph. The photo is of The 'microphotograph' is a miniscule negative image (ca. 0.5mm x 1mm) of Nicholas-Francois Vuillaume, a violin maker, seated at a table holding a violin. The bow was made by his apprentice, Voirin.

Microphotography was developed in Manchester around 1852 by John Benjamin Dancer (1812-1887); in 1857 his 'microphotographs' were shown to the Académie des Sciences in Paris, following which Vuillaume (among others) employed this technique for certain of his bows; one such would have been eminently attractive to a bow-collector like Josiah Chapman, both photographic pioneer, music collector and Mancunian.

Sadly we have to find a way to share the image inside the bow!