The Weidhaas–Finkel bow making dynasty: an exclusive close-up look at the family’s output

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Nestled within the mountains, forests and lakes of the Swiss Alps, the Finkel Bow Workshop is unique in Switzerland and is one of the world’s most famous bow making companies. Located in the village of Schwanden, close to the violin making school in Brienz, the firm exports its products all over the world, while its star-studded clientele has included Yehudi Menuhin, Nigel Kennedy, Jaime Laredo and Pinchas Zukerman, as well as members of the Berlin Philharmonic. The firm has been run by the Finkel family since 1955, although the dynasty stretches back still further – and is now in its fifth generation, with bow maker Daniela Finkel a key part of the firm. No list of the great German bow making dynasties would be complete without a look at the Weidhaas–Finkel family, especially since the latest research in the archives has brought to light new information about its members.