William Charles Retford
1875–1970
Distinguished bow maker. Trained at W. E. Hill & Sons in London from 1892 under Arthur Hill and Sydney Yeoman. Head of the bow making department from 1907. Retired 1956 but remained active until 1968. Developed the ‘Hill bow’, an amalgam of the French and English traditions. Tools and equipment \u{2026} — John Dilworth
Auction price history
Highest auction price
| Type | Details | Sold | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violin Bow | S/E 62 g. | May 2005 | £1,800 |
| Cello Bow | G/I 77 g. | May 2003 | £1,396 |
| Cello Bow | S/E 84 g. | March 1998 | £3,306 |
| Viola Bow | S/E 72 g. | March 1997 | £3,220 |
| Violin Bow | S/E 62 g. | November 1990 | £4,180 |
Biographies
The overview above is drawn from the following published accounts. Read them in the original:
John Dilworth+
RETFORD, William Charles Born 1875 New Milton, Hampshire, died 1970 London UK. Distinguished bow maker. Trained at W. E. Hill & Sons in London from 1892 under Arthur Hill and Sydney Yeoman. Head of the bow making department from 1907. Retired 1956 but remained active until 1968. Developed the ‘Hill bow’, an amalgam of the French and English traditions. Tools and equipment from his workshop are preserved at the Faculty of Music in Oxford. Author of Bows and Bowmaking (London, 1964). Most of his bows carry the Hill brand. Private work from 1956 is branded: W. C. RETFORD. Made one violin, labelled: Made by William C. Retford / Bowmaker
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