Dictionary of Makers

Son of Charles Louis Bazin, Charles Alfred Bazin first studied bow making with his father in Mirecourt beginning in 1922. He showed early promise as an interpreter of the family's signature style and as a businessman, and upon returning from WWII he set up his own shop in Mirecourt. After Charles Louis' retirement in 1952, CharlesAlfred inherited the family workshop, retaining only one assistant, and later worked alone. Unlike his father and grandfather Charles Nicolas, Bazin refused to provide bows to other firms for sale, and though he had fewer clients as a result, he remained remarkably prolific until his retirement in the 1980s. His bows became heavier in his later years, though overall his work is of fine craftsmanship and materials.