Henryk Kaston, who enjoyed an illustrious career as a bow maker and a jeweller, has died in New York at the age of 100. Born in Poland, he escaped wartorn Europe to settle in America, where he played violin in the Cleveland Orchestra and then the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra.

While in New York he developed an interest in bow making and restoring and began a dual career as a bow maker and jeweller, often combining the two disciplines by setting his bows with precious stones and using intricately carved frogs. He created jewellery for Salvador Dalí and bows for Heifetz, Kreisler, Stern and Shlomo Mintz.

See Features for an interview with Kaston from the July 2005 issue of The Strad, in which the then 95-year-old bow maker looked back on his colourful life.

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