The bow is an authentic Dominique Peccatte violin bow in Amourette, silver mounted, and in nearly pristine condition. Payment to be made after certification. 10 day trial after payment. 

The bow will be sold with certification either from an EU or U.S. expert. You can make the final purchase after certification. If you want to play the bow before paying, then write to me and I will try to make that arrangement for you.  

If you are interested in the bow, then send me an eBay notification message regarding your interest. I can provide more photos and measurements. 

At the Tarisio London March 2026 auction a Francois Peccatte violin bow in Amourette sold for 41,300 USD. The mounts were not original to the stick. An outlier for sure, but keep that fact in mind when you continue to read on.

Non-U.S. buyers, if you want to buy this bow, then I can run the sale process through Tarisio Private Sales. U.S. buyers who want to buy direct from me or my luthier, James Banicki Violins (Vermont) the price is lowered to 30k USD.

Yes, experienced violinists can often distinguish between a pernambuco bow and an amourette (also known as snakewood or unfigured snakewood) bow when picking it up and playing it, though it's not always immediate or obvious without direct comparison.

Key Differences in Feel and Play

• Weight and balance — Amourette is generally denser and heavier than pernambuco (often resulting in bows around 60-66g, sometimes feeling heavier in the hand). Pernambuco typically allows for lighter, more agile sticks with ideal balance for modern playing.
• Stiffness and response — Amourette tends to be stiffer, producing a quicker attack, more focused or brilliant sound, and sometimes a "glassy" or less forgiving feel. Pernambuco is prized for its superior elasticity, offering better bounce (spiccato/sautillé), smoother bow changes, and a warmer, more responsive tone with greater nuance.
• Sound characteristics — Amourette can yield a clear, radiant, or deep tone but often with fewer overtones and less warmth compared to pernambuco. Some players find it less versatile for romantic or modern repertoire, while others appreciate its precision.

Visual cues (plain reddish-brown for amourette vs. the often figured, orange-brown "snakeskin" grain of pernambuco) help initially, but playing reveals the differences most clearly—especially in off-the-string strokes, dynamics, and articulation.

Performance of François and Dominique Peccatte Amourette Bows

Both François and Dominique Peccatte (brothers and renowned 19th-century French bow makers) produced some bows in amourette, likely as a substitute during pernambuco shortages. These are rarer and typically less valuable than their pernambuco examples (often 1/4 to 1/5 the price), but high-quality ones can play exceptionally well due to the makers' skill.

• François Peccatte amourette bows → Often described as having excellent elasticity, perfect hand feel, powerful yet controllable response, and a brilliant, clear sound. One player on Violinist.com called a François workshop amourette bow "the best I've ever played," outperforming their Sartory and even a Dominique pernambuco they tried—citing amazing playing characteristics.
• Dominique Peccatte amourette bows → Known for strength and big, rounded sound; some (including cello examples) are praised as very fine. However, opinions vary—some find them outstanding, while others note the wood's limitations compared to Dominique's legendary pernambuco bows (strong, subtle, and highly versatile).

Overall, Peccatte amourette bows can be superb and even preferred by some players for their focus and power, but most professionals consider pernambuco superior for responsiveness and tonal warmth in modern playing. Exceptional examples (like the one you see here) stand out, proving the maker's artistry can elevate the material. These bows are more common in baroque or transitional styles today, where snakewood's qualities shine.

"From my own experience, I have found Pernambuco to have a quicker attack as opposed to Amourette (non-figured snake wood) being a bit slower. The sound of Amourette is warmer and rounder than Pernambuco. A bit like playing an awesome Tubbs, which plays like a Rolls-Royce as opposed to a Sartory. Both Amourette and Pernambuco are generally of equal strength. Both species have weak and stiff sticks."

Chris Weiden (Maestronet)

"Personally - not really. I think with the Peccatte school makers the differences in the approach to camber are dominant, and that wood density (whether pernambuco or amourette or abeille) is far more important than the species.

But we did sell an amourette F. Peccatte to a very fine player a couple of months ago - he has now given us his pernambuco FX Tourte to sell. He's not the only very serious player and bow nerd who prefers it ...

Generally I've found it easier to sell non-pernambuco bows to viola players. But that may be because viola players have a wider take on what constitutes good sound than violinists."

Martin Swan (Maestronet)

Silver mounted. (All parts original). 

Superior quality ebony for the frog (Original).

62 grams. 

Ivory tip-plate (original).

Tinsel lapping (original).

Thumb pad (original)!

If you want more photos, then write to me. I will send the bow to a professional photographer and put up the additional photos. The sale will be final once the payment has been rendered and the bow has been certified as authentic in all its parts, appraised, and condition verified. Serious inquires only, please. 

You will of course get a chance to play the bow and make up your own mind as to whether it is a keeper or not. TBA.

By the way, if you think that eBay is not the place to buy a Dominique Peccatte violin bow ... no problem. 

I can make the bow available at any of the major violin shops in these cities on a consignment basis. 

Boston. Chicago. LA. Bay Area. Tarisio Private Sales. Vermont (James Banicki Violins -- Essex Junction).

Let me know if you have any questions or concerns.  

What are you waiting for? You can't afford Dominique Peccatte in pernambuco (150k and up depending on condition and type of metal mounts). And if you had both a DP bow in Amourette and Pernambuco, chances are you would not be able to tell which was which, but would likely pick the Amourette over the Pernambuco bow because of the buttery sound —i.e., warmer, rounder, richer, or more resonant tone with good clarity. 

Willing to sell this DP Amourette violin bow and the other DP Amourette violin bow on a lot sale basis for 85k USD.