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Hello-
I have a Karl Hofner violin that belonged to my father. I'm looking for info on the model name, the year it was made, and what I might charge to sell the instrument, as I don't play. I've attached pictures.
Inside the violin is a label: "Copy of Antonius Stradivarius faciebat Cremona 1713. Made in Germany". Does this mean that it's a pre-WW2 instrument?
Where should I sell the violin, and what is a fair price?
Thank you,
Tom
Berea, KY
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I am no expert, but based on other info I have read here, I would say it is a student. The dots in the fingerboard would not be used by anyone beyond student level. That is not to say a student would not have played an expensive one, but not likely. The label does not look old. It is too new looking for pre-WW2, in my opinion. The inside looks factory made to me, what little I saw, again, not an expert, and it looks too new, also, to be what I am thinking you are holing for. Again, it says copy.
Wait for other opinions before you rely on mine.
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Fiddlerman's Fiddle Talk Forum
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post it on maestronet, ou will need a lot more images than you have posted here, they will tell you exactly what to photogaraph on there, be prepared however for themto rip it to pieces and say its junk, if it is, they dont hold back on their punches, but they do have the worlds leading experts on there.
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@tmoreland -
Sorry, a simple internet search will show you, you might only be able to ask as much as $200 if it sounded great and in great condition.
"Made in Germany" can mean made between 1921 and 1939/WWII. MANY trade violins made for export during that period, but doesn't mean they were all poor quality.
eBay would be a good place to try to sell it.
If I wanted to know if it was really worth anything, I'd take it to a Luthier who might recognize the logo on the label, but more importantly - could play it and tell if it sounds any good.
- Emily
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check the marketplace on fiddlehangout before you list. if youre in berea, ky im seeing 2 violin shops in lexington. I wouldnt list anywhere until someone at a violin shop or someine who Knows looks at it...unless you didnt care what you get...in that case, if its playable..Id just list for 1200.00 and see what happens.
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@ABitRusty -
1200.00? 🤣
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sure.. why cheat yourself if dont know ..right?! plenty of expert violin appraisers are out there to correct if way off.. and the better option is have a shop look at anyway.
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@ABitRusty
Yes, I had just edited my post about taking it to a Luthier, before I saw yours - I'm sooo slow. 😊
I did look to see if I could find anything on that maker's mark, but I had no luck.
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"Made in Germany" suggests that it was probably made before WWII, but not necessarily. Violins made in what would become West Germany, immediately after WWII and before the split, were usually labeled something like "Made in Occupied Germany, Western Zone" but not always labeled that way.
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