James Tubbs violin bow, London circa 1890

One of the most important bow makers in history, James Tubbs was born in London in 1835 and died there in 1921. Descended from a family of bow makers-a five-generational dynasty crafting bows from the early 19th century into the early 20th century-Tubbs trained and worked with his father William Tubbs until 1858, when he went to work for W. E. Hill & Sons. In 1864, Tubbs established his own busine