If you decide to take it to a good fiddle shop for examination, don't forget to take the bow and get an opinion on it.

The 1940-1950 era is a bit late for the good finds, but before good pernambuco became difficult to get, lots of bows of quality rare today - except at rather high prices - were sold at fairly modest cost. The bow may have greater monetary value now than the violin. (But don't take a mortgage on it until you've checked it out.)

Better quality pernambuco is available now than was common a few years ago, thanks to the "Pernambuco Mafia" that has very carefully, and apparently successfully, instituted preservation and recovery controls that are a rare bright spot in ecological policy. But I doubt that prices will go down for good bows.

John