Retford family (bow-makers)
Encyclopedia
William Charles Retford and William R. Retford (1899–1960) were English musical instrument bow-makers, working for the firm of W.E. Hill & Sons.
Retford is recognized as developing the Hill bow, along with Alfred Hill.
William C. Retford was a perfectionist who became known as the best bow craftsman of his time.
He was first to use the "fluer de lys" design on the best quality gold and tortoiseshell bows. In 1964, William C. Retford wrote "Bows and Bowmakers", which offered a new perspective regarding English bows.
William Richard Retford (1899-1960) trained as a bow maker with his father. Unfortunately William Richard found it difficult to live up to his father's fame. Although he was employed by the Hills, he mainly worked on rehairing bows. ,
After the death of William C. Retford, his colleagues Mr. Porter and Mr. Yeoman arranged that all his tools and other material should be donated to the Bate Collection of Musical Instruments in Oxford in his memory. In addition, they and Arthur Bultitude
established the nucleus of the Retford Memorial Collection of Bows. The collection includes viol
and viola d'amore
bows by Edward Dodd.
Retford is recognized as developing the Hill bow, along with Alfred Hill.
William C. Retford was a perfectionist who became known as the best bow craftsman of his time.
He was first to use the "fluer de lys" design on the best quality gold and tortoiseshell bows. In 1964, William C. Retford wrote "Bows and Bowmakers", which offered a new perspective regarding English bows.
William Richard Retford (1899-1960) trained as a bow maker with his father. Unfortunately William Richard found it difficult to live up to his father's fame. Although he was employed by the Hills, he mainly worked on rehairing bows. ,
After the death of William C. Retford, his colleagues Mr. Porter and Mr. Yeoman arranged that all his tools and other material should be donated to the Bate Collection of Musical Instruments in Oxford in his memory. In addition, they and Arthur Bultitude
Arthur Bultitude
Arthur Richard Bultitude was an English musical instrument bow maker, who spent much of his life working as a craftsman for the firm of W.E. Hill & Sons....
established the nucleus of the Retford Memorial Collection of Bows. The collection includes viol
Viol
The viol is any one of a family of bowed, fretted and stringed musical instruments developed in the mid-late 15th century and used primarily in the Renaissance and Baroque periods. The family is related to and descends primarily from the Renaissance vihuela, a plucked instrument that preceded the...
and viola d'amore
Viola d'amore
The viola d'amore is a 7- or 6-stringed musical instrument with sympathetic strings used chiefly in the baroque period. It is played under the chin in the same manner as the violin.- Structure and sound :...
bows by Edward Dodd.
External links
- The Hill Bow
- Pegturning tales (from The Strad)
- William Charles Retford Published in Hampshire Magazine; Vol. 20 No. 3 January, 1980