Dictionary of Makers

A general examination of his style suggests the influence of Nicolas Lupot, but it is not known for certain where Jean Pierre Marie Persoit learned bow making or who initially employed him. Around 1825 he began to mark some of his bows with a characteristic "P.R.S.," which explains why his name was misspelled as "Persois" for so long. It seems that this marking originated with Persoit's idea to file off the "A" and "I" of a "PARIS" stamp and employ it as his particular brand, for reasons unknown. 

 

Persoit worked in the shop of J.B. Vuillaume from 1826 to 1838, and his sticks reflect that influence, although elements of François Xavier Tourte are quite visible. The heads are strong and fairly rounded, and frogs are rather low, with short, square throats. In general bows bearing his own name are rare, but are almost uniformly of excellent quality. Persoit's apprentice at the Vuillaume workshop Dominique Peccatte later merged his teacher's style with that of Tourte into a unique model of superb playability.