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I acquired a violin that has a label in it that indicates that it is from 1871. I took it to have it appraised, and though the shop could not confirm its 1871 date, they did say that it was definitely over 100 years old.
They told me that, restored, the violin would be worth around $4,000. However, according to them, it would cost around $2,000 to complete the restoration. The violin is missing the strings, bridge, and tailpiece, but the body is in tact.
I do not play, personally, but I love antiques and could not sit back and watch this piece of history get destroyed. I'd like to hear this group's thoughts on the proposed cost, and, what you would do if you were in my position? I'd like to think it would be of benefit to at least have the missing parts added so that it could be playable again, and would like to think that would not run $2,000.
Looking forward to your replies!
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you said you dont play. does that mean yet and you plan on using this one? or are you just interested in restoring it? strings, bridges and tailpieces are minor. so im guessing theres body and varnish work.
4000 will get you an amazing NEW violin. This is a general statement of course.. but that price range gets you into some really good instruments that are new. so if you got this one pretty cheap.. spend 2000 and someone that knows their stuff says itll be worth 4000 then maybe a deal there. Youre kinda stepping off in faith though...no way to test it and see if you like it so on so forth...etc... for sure something to think about.
If you dont play and are looking at it from collect antiques point of view i cant offer any opinion.
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Post a few pictures. If you want an expert opinion on when it was made and if it is worth anything, restoration cost and the like, post it on Maestronet, with images. I can tell you one thing without seeing it, just because a violin is old doesn't mean it is worth anything at all. Post it on maestronet. Is my advice.
Cant beat a sunny day
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Thanks for the quick reply and info! I don't really want to sign up for yet another violin forum (this is already my second one, as the earlier submission never even approved my registration), so I will post the pics here.
Jim aka fontheroof
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Pics attached.
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ABitRusty said
you said you dont play. does that mean yet and you plan on using this one? or are you just interested in restoring it? strings, bridges and tailpieces are minor. so im guessing theres body and varnish work.4000 will get you an amazing NEW violin. This is a general statement of course.. but that price range gets you into some really good instruments that are new. so if you got this one pretty cheap.. spend 2000 and someone that knows their stuff says itll be worth 4000 then maybe a deal there. Youre kinda stepping off in faith though...no way to test it and see if you like it so on so forth...etc... for sure something to think about.
If you dont play and are looking at it from collect antiques point of view i cant offer any opinion.
Thanks for the quick reply! I'd just like to see it "saved", which as a result, I would think means it needs to be re-assembled. I don't necessarily need it revarnished and all of that, just whatever would need to be done to make it playable again, should someone want to do so at some point.
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fontheroof said
ABitRusty said
you said you dont play. does that mean yet and you plan on using this one? or are you just interested in restoring it? strings, bridges and tailpieces are minor. so im guessing theres body and varnish work.
4000 will get you an amazing NEW violin. This is a general statement of course.. but that price range gets you into some really good instruments that are new. so if you got this one pretty cheap.. spend 2000 and someone that knows their stuff says itll be worth 4000 then maybe a deal there. Youre kinda stepping off in faith though...no way to test it and see if you like it so on so forth...etc... for sure something to think about.
If you dont play and are looking at it from collect antiques point of view i cant offer any opinion.
Thanks for the quick reply! I'd just like to see it "saved", which as a result, I would think means it needs to be re-assembled. I don't necessarily need it revarnished and all of that, just whatever would need to be done to make it playable again, should someone want to do so at some point.
i get it.. hey if you dont mind the money then i understand youre point of view. I love acoustic instruments. i dont have an antique anymore but understand that draw to something old and with the time its been here.
from a players point of view old doesnt neccesarily mean better though so keep that in mind. I think we are in a really good time to be learning music. quality of new stuff across the board seems really good. to me.... guitars..mandolins..violins..all new stuff really good across price ranges.
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Could you post a clear picture of the back of the scroll and the c bouts. It does look as though there is a soundpost crack but it's hard to tell as the image is a bit blurred. Could you also post an image of the back. If I cant tell you something from those you would have to ask the experts on maestronet, but to me it looks either east European or German trade violin.
Cant beat a sunny day
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I totally hear you and appreciate your feedback. I also do not want it to sound in any way like I'm looking to get rich off of this item. I just hate seeing today's society quickly call "1-800-Got-Junk" for so many things.
I look at these kinds of things differently than most average people- when I see this old violin, it makes me think of a time when people didn't have much money at all, and something like this would have been all that the family might have had for entertainment and "fun". I'd have to guess that this was played during holidays and things like that, and, the tag (if authentic) actually says it was assembled in Venice. If that is accurate, then it came from one of the best violin places ever!
And also, I just wanted to share that the shop that I took it to for review was a reputable shop in Wilmington, Delaware. I hate watching shows like Storage Wars where they say "OH WOW MAN! THAT's GOTTA BE WORTH LIKE [x]!" I went to people who repair, service, and restore these wonderful instruments, and that's where my information came from 
Jim
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The label inside doesn't mean anything unfortunately.
Cant beat a sunny day
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stringy said
Could you post a clear picture of the back of the scroll and the c bouts. It does look as though there is a soundpost crack but it's hard to tell as the image is a bit blurred. Could you also post an image of the back. If I cant tell you something from those you would have to ask the experts on maestronet, but to me it looks either east European or German trade violin.
Thank you very much for your input- I will get some more pics of it during the course of this weekend and post them. I appreciate all of you for such quick replies!
Jim
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stringy said
The label inside doesn't mean anything unfortunately.
Understood, and that's why the assessor said that they could not confirm the date, but, they could tell from other factors that it was ~100. They also used a UV light on it, which from what I've read (I'm a total newbie on this), would possibly tell them the age of the varnish.
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I also don't know what all the holes are in the fingerboard, took a closer look at first I thought they may have had pins in there at some time as finger markers, but on closer inspection see that isn't the case, so I don't know what the holes are but it would need a new finger board, it also looks like there is damage to the body were the neck joins.
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More pics
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stringy said
I also don't know what all the holes are in the fingerboard, took a closer look at first I thought they may have had pins in there at some time as finger markers, but on closer inspection see that isn't the case, so I don't know what the holes are but it would need a new finger board, it also looks like there is damage to the body were the neck joins.
The repair shop said the fingerboard wood looked damaged from mites in Europe that like to eat the Ebony wood. No clue if that is true.
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fontheroof said
@ABitRustyI totally hear you and appreciate your feedback. I also do not want it to sound in any way like I'm looking to get rich off of this item. I just hate seeing today's society quickly call "1-800-Got-Junk" for so many things.
I look at these kinds of things differently than most average people- when I see this old violin, it makes me think of a time when people didn't have much money at all, and something like this would have been all that the family might have had for entertainment and "fun". I'd have to guess that this was played during holidays and things like that, and, the tag (if authentic) actually says it was assembled in Venice. If that is accurate, then it came from one of the best violin places ever!
And also, I just wanted to share that the shop that I took it to for review was a reputable shop in Wilmington, Delaware. I hate watching shows like Storage Wars where they say "OH WOW MAN! THAT's GOTTA BE WORTH LIKE [x]!" I went to people who repair, service, and restore these wonderful instruments, and that's where my information came from
Jim
I think i would challenge you to learn violin now!. It seems this has come into your way..maybe its a sign! Or at least see what you could sale it to the shop as is for. maybe recoupe what youve spent so far. i think youre correct about its time here...being played by various people over the years. that needs to continue if its to mean anything.
I m not sure restoring and it not being played would be the way to go. but i agree that with its history if its able to be restored and be an instrument for someone it should. Im sorta thinking that player should be you.
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I think it's a bit late for me to learn a new instrument
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@fontheroof said
I think it's a bit late for me to learn a new instrument
oh boy...theres a whole forum of people that can say otherwise. plus you saying "new" makes me think you play another type. if so what is it?
Really think this violin found you and your supposed to learn on it.
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Almost certainly German trade violin or East European, post it on maestronet they will most likely tell you its not worth repairing but who knows, good luck. Never heard of mites that eat ebony, you can get mites that will eat horsehair on bows but as far as I know not fingerboard, I have seen veneered fingerboard were the ebony flakes of in bits.
Cant beat a sunny day
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Personally I wouldn't spend any money on that violin without getting a second opinion on its likely value from a different luthier who won't be asked to fix it up.
As Stringy says, it looks very like many east European violins so may not be worth a great deal (although they can make great-sounding violins when properly restored). That one has some obvious major problems, even just looking at the outside (large cracks in the top plate for example) and who knows what lies inside once it's opened up.
Cracks can be fixed of course, but it's not cheap to do them properly.
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