Henryk Kaston

Bow maker
(1910 – 2010)

Henryk Kaston (1910–2010) was a Polish-born American bow maker, restorer, violinist and jeweller whose career was closely associated with New York. Born in Piotrków Trybunalski, he studied the violin from childhood and later continued his musical education in Paris. He emigrated to the United States during the Second World War, playing first in the Cleveland Orchestra and subsequently in the Metropolitan ...Read More Opera Orchestra.

Kaston began working as a bow repairer and restorer in New York in the 1940s and later became closely associated with the Rembert Wurlitzer firm, where his exceptional technical skill made him an important specialist in the restoration of French bows. He was particularly accomplished in making replacement frogs and fittings, often reproducing historical work with remarkable accuracy. Alongside restoration, he made approximately 300–400 bows of his own, generally based on French models. His most distinctive examples combine traditional bow making with his work as a jeweller, incorporating elaborate carving, precious metals, stones and ornamental inlay.

His clients included Jascha Heifetz, Fritz Kreisler, Isaac Stern and Shlomo Mintz. Kaston also produced jewellery for Salvador Dalí and collaborated with Heifetz on the development of the widely used Heifetz mute. A group of presentation bows by Kaston is preserved in the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of American History.

Kaston was also a serious scholar of French bow making. Together with his wife he undertook extensive archival research into the Tourte family, uncovering numerous previously unknown documents. This research contributed substantially to the modern understanding of François Xavier Tourte and ultimately formed part of the basis for François-Xavier Tourte: Bow Maker, published in 2001. Read Less

Price History

- The auction record for this maker is $17,233 in Oct 2025, for a violin bow.
- 14 auction price results.

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