Pierre Simon (1808 - 1881), born in Mirecourt and member of a great family of bow makers, is one of the greatest masters of the 19th century. He first trained in his hometown before moving to Paris in 1838. There, he worked alongside Dominique Peccatte (1810-1874) for two years. Peccatte had a strong influence on him, inspiring a similar style in Simon’s bow-making designs. Starting in 1840, he worked for the renowned luthier Jean-Baptiste Vuillaume (1798-1875) before setting up his own workshop in 1844, taking over Dominique Peccatte’s atelier after Peccatte returned to Mirecourt. Simon also collaborated for a few years with Joseph Henry. During his career, Simon’s exceptional craftsmanship benefited major houses, creating bows not only for Vuillaume but also for Maison Gand Frères, a partnership of Charles Adolphe Gand and Charles Eugène Gand, sons of Charles François Gand, the successor to Nicolas Lupot. Pierre Simon left behind a vast collection of high-quality bows that are admired today and highly sought after by collectors and professional musicians.

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