This document examines the historical use of "off-the-string" violin bow technique in the mid-eighteenth to early nineteenth centuries as described by the major treatise writers of this time period. Discussions include the "bouncing" capability of eighteenth-century bows (including various Baroque, transitional, and Tourte-style models), the relationship between changes in bow design and the evolution of musical aesthetic, bow stroke definitions and taxonomy during this time period, and common notational practices relating to playing off the string. The writer's intent is to clarify the historical origins of modern off-the-string technique and to dispel common misconceptions about the history of the bow by highlighting the use of these bow strokes during the eras of Leopold Mozart, Viotti, and Paganini. Other treatises used as evidence in this study are those written by Geminiani, Tartini, L'Abbe le fils, Corrette, Galeazzi, Campagnoli, Spohr, and Baillot.