These Brazilian guys drive the country selling Brazilian made bows and violin wood from Europe. For violin makers like me, far from any European wood mill or US wood wholesaler, this allows me to pick through the wood before buying it, an invaluable service. Prices are on the higher side of average, but factor in to the costs and uncertainties of having wood shipped in and they are competitive. If possible, I always try to buy something to make sure that they come back.
I’ve had several different salesmen come by. This time it was A’tila de Freitas on his first trip out west representing L’Archet Brazil based in Wellington, Florida.
I’ve seen the van a lot fuller than this, they usually have cello and sometimes even bass wood.
A’tila adding up the bill. This is his first run for the company, going from Florida to the Seattle and back. I got 8 sets of nice Bosnian maple milled by Mannes in Germany.