August Rau was born on 26 June 1866 to Gottlob August Rau, a shoemaker based in the town of Siebenbrünn near Markneukirchen. According to oral tradition and early publications, he served his apprenticeship as a bow maker from 1880 to 1884, in the workshop of the Nürnberger family. He then went to Dresden where he worked for six years with Wilhelm Knopf, and briefly with A.R. Weichold. Around 1890 he went back to Markneukirchen where he was supposed to work for Nürnberger but refused, instead starting his own business in Siebenbrünn. By 1897 he had moved his business to Markneukirchen, where his workshop was established at Bahnhofstrasse 332H.

Beautiful German bow by "Augustus Rau" in Markneukirchen. Weight: 60 grams.