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Have an old violin handed in to one of our charity shops and was looking for some guidance if any experts on here?
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There is an old violin with case most weeks in the place I buy for my business. £5 or £50,000 they all seem to look the same so despite being tempted I stay well clear.
Is there any name inside to research sold values on Ebay?
Does it look like this one that made £1,320... www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Very-old-violin-in-case-with-bows-name-inside-ANTONIUS-VINACCIA-FECIT-1776-/121116291518
Or more like this that made £13.01...
www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Violin-/221235296598
Norrie Holton near Stamford is an expert, worth looking at his sales page to get an idea...
www.norrieholton.co.uk/norrie-holton-violins-category-9.htm
As it's for a charity he might advise if you mail him an image.
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"Is there any name inside to research sold values on Ebay?" - Unfortunately labels are easily faked.
"As it's for a charity he might advise if you mail him an image." - He might, but close inspection is better.
Last edited by: FocalPoint on Wed 12 Jun 13 at 11:12
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>> www.norrieholton.co.uk/norrie-holton-violins-category-9.htm
Those prices seem remarkably low considering how much it would cost to make one nowadays. I suppose it comes down to supply and demand.
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"Those prices seem remarkably low considering how much it would cost to make one nowadays." Nowadays cheap instruments are largely made by machines, so, given the low labour costs in Asia, they can be made very cheaply indeed. A hand-made violin is in a totally different league.
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The eBay violin has a two piece front. In violin terms, very odd and weakens it greatly. A fair assumption therefore is it has thick wood (to make the joint) and sounds like it too.
The sound an instrument makes can still surprise, but I bet I'm right.
Violin world is full of replicas, most aren't even good ones!
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I'm not a violin expert, but I am very involved with "classical" music and used to be married to a professional violinist, whom I remain on good term with.
"Old" for a violin does not necessarily mean "good" or even "valuable". Thousands upon thousands of poor instruments have been made over the years and there are many rubbish violins still being made, bought and sold. My suggestion is that you seek advice in two stages. Take it to a music shop, bearing in mind that your average music shop will probably not have a stringed instrument specialist - they tend to cater for schools, young beginners and the thin end of the adult amateur business; if they show any interest at all beyond saying it would do for a beginner and is worth little, do not leave it with them, but go on to a specialist business or an auction house.
There are specific signs to look for in determining the value of an instrument, even before it's played.
I've no idea of your location, but if it's in the south-east/London I might be able to advise further.
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Hi there, the violin has been handed in to one of our shops so as yet, I haven't physically seen it.
It does come with a plate on the back with DRGM 728940 on it which seems to be some sort of German patent but other than , there doesn't seem to be any other identifying marks at all.
I will try and get photos as soon as I can
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Google the "DRGM 728940". Lots of hits that I haven't time to read.
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Ultimately, you'll probably need to take it to a specialist for their opinion (say your asking for a charity shop) although the overwhelming probability is its a bit like like 3/4 size one I have that purports to be a Stradivarius - even I can see it's a replica.
However, a lot depends on how they sound. I have a really battered one, almost certainly a factory made one as the lines at the panel edges are paint, not inlay which a decent one would be. However, there is a repairers label from the 1860s so it's obviously a bit older than that. A shop that values them initially thought I was joking when I showed it to them - until they played it. It has a far better sound than some quite expensive ones.
So, if it's playable and you know a violinist who knows how to set a bridge (jolly easy but makes a huge difference to the sound), get them to try it. The sound produced will give some clue to its value.
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Thanks for all your suggestions - getting the violin brought into the office and "someone knows someone" in here who may be able to help.
Failing that, it will be off to the auction house
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BobbyG, is this website of violin makers of any help to you? www.violinmakers.biz/
Last edited by: L'escargot on Fri 14 Jun 13 at 14:55
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Bobby, the only reason its got into your shop is because its a worthless pile of poo. Chances are Auction fees will be more than the value of the instrument.
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Zero - you may be right, but because violins been around for many years, and were very fashionable in times past, good ones do occasionally turn up in unlikely places. It is reasonable to suppose the donator has not done any checks, and if playable an examination by any decent violonist will quickly determine where the next port of call should be.
The auction is not the way to proceed, unless it's a specialised one. Goods in general auctions can be bargains for the buyer if, big if, they know what they are looking at.
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>> Bobby, the only reason its got into your shop is because its a worthless pile
>> of poo.
Bit of an oversimplification surely Z?
We have in the last 10 years cleared out 3 houses after elderly relatives have died. In each case we kept items which meant something sentimentally and virtually everything else went to charity shops without much consideration of any possible monetary value. Some reasonably good stuff went, to much bother to try to realise every possible penny from the items.
Suspect that is probably fairly common.
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>> >> Bobby, the only reason its got into your shop is because its a worthless
>> pile
>> >> of poo.
>> Bit of an oversimplification surely Z?
It was said with an element of jest, but a brutal ring of truth. Since the advent of the "antique trip show roads worth" TV show, days of hidden gems turning up on the doorstep of charity shops is long gone.
>> stuff went, to much bother to try to realise every possible penny from the items.
>> Suspect that is probably fairly common.
Believe me, an east end family knows the value, adjusted for daily inflation, of every ageing relatives house and contents....
Last edited by: Zero on Fri 14 Jun 13 at 16:20
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Zero loves dogmatic simplicity!
"...the only reason its got into your shop is because its a worthless pile of poo." - That may well be true, but possibly - just possibly - it may not.
"... Auction fees will be more than the value of the instrument." - Auction houses will offer a free general valuation before you commit yourself to selling. Of course, there's no guarantee their valuation will be realised, but that's a general issue relating to all auctions.
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A couple of points
Our local auction house doesn't charge us commission.
When items are donated to us to sell, we are duty bound, and morally bound, to try and realise as much money from these items for the charity. So for unusual items we usually use Ebay or the aucions.
Whether the item makes £5 or £500, it then means that we can put hand on heart and say that we got the best price for it. Nothing worse than to hear someone bragging about a rare antique that they paid £2 for in a charity shop and found out it was worth £2m.
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Don't ask how I know this crap - but if a violin has a one piece back it is likely to be more valuable than one made up of two or three pieces. They were mass produced by the Germans before WW1.
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I'm far from an expert, but I believe some Stradivari have two piece backs.
Cheap instruments even feel cumbersome and as I've said before, a good violinist will rapidly be able to tell.
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For a woodwind instrument I'd recommend Howarth's in London. A bit of googling came up with www.stringersmusic.com/ as stringed instrument specialists.
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At least there's one of those shops in Scotland for BobbyG to consider contacting.
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My apologies,, I got that the wrong way around !
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>> Don't ask how I know this crap - but if a violin has a one
>> piece back it is likely to be more valuable than one made up of two
>> or three pieces.
In my younger days I used to specify a one-piece back when ordering a made-to-measure suit.
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Any violin experts on here? - Fenlander
