The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-09-07
TOPEKA STATE JOURNAL
Z
Information Bureau
EREDERTc }. HAsKrN. parecesr.
Warrington, D. @
THE VALUE OF vToLINs.

THE VALUE OF VIoLINs.
| washington. D. c.. Sept. 1.-The
other day, a jubilant gentleman, car
rying violin case. walked into large
music store and asked to see the head
of the violin department.
81 have here a Stradivarius VIOLIN"
he explained, triumphantly removing
the instrument from it's case and hold
| ing it aioft 80 that al might be privi-
legged to gaze thereon. I'm told they
are very rare and bring big prices. and
| l would like to know just what would
be considered a fair price for this one.
I've already received an offer of $500
/ for il, but friend of mine, who is
violinist, says that is much too little"
| The clerks looked politely interest
ed, but they did not seem impressed.
Presently the head of the violin de-
! partment appeared and picked up the
violin. There was a noticeable lack
of enthusiasm in his manner as he
! examined it.
How did you get the Instrument
| he asked.
why it was among my deceased
uncle's effects which were recently
turned over to me-" explained the
proud owner. THE old gentleman
used to play on it a great deal, but
| he had no idea of its real value.
| Neither had until 1 happened to see
the name Of StradIvari in the inside.
i Then 1 remembered hearing some
i where that old violins of that make
were valuable"
But did you not see this?" inquired
| the violin expert, pointing to fine
| imprint at the base which read, Made
| in Germany" "You. did? Well, that
little mark proves beyond question that
your violin is not a genuine Stradi-
varius, even if the indifferent work
manship did not do so. Genuine
| de a.
This violin. 1 regret to say, is not
valuable. 1t is probably not worth
more than So
When the erstwhile jubilant gentle-
imam had departed in great detection of
i spirit, the violin expert said: I'VE
are always having to take the joy out
of life like that. I am compelled to
disappoint many people every year.
The ignorance of the public on the
subject OF violins is incredible. Peo-
fooled allow themselves 10 be COM
pletely taken in by newly printed
| Stradivarius or Guarnerius labels in
side their violins. This man who was
just here was fortunate. He had the
violin bequeathed to him. He did not
Labels May Lie.
AS a matter of fact, he said, the
label is one of the least important
things to be considered in determining
the value of violin. The main points
OF interest are the lines of the instru-
\ ment, the wood, the varnish, the scroll,
the F holes, the characteristic tone of
the instrument, the general character
| OF the workmanship and the many
little mannerisms Characteristic of the
maker. There is a strong suggestion
/ of .boldness and power about the
| violins made by Joseph Guarneri. for
instance, that is altogether lacking in
/ the fine, sweet-toned Instruments of
Nicholas Amati, another of the FAM
Gus old Italian masters.
/ 1t is a simple matter to procure well
executed counterfeit labels and paste
i them in any violin, much easier than
1 it is to forge the signature of a famous
4 artist When blackened by little
dust they will easily deceive the lay
man. Yet in the case of the cheaper
violins. there is no intent to deceive.
/ The labels are pasted in by modern
makers merely as trade marks or to
i indicate the model of the violin--if
it is copy of a Stradivarius, Guar
nsrius or some other famous make.
y Many of these Instruments. as in the
incident already described. are also
/ frankly labeled, "Made-ip Germany"
/ While this form OF labelling is we'll
known to all persons acquainted with
the making OF violfns and their his
toryA it arouses many false hopes in
the unenlightened. In one instance, a
family in a small New York town
discovered an old violin in their attic.
1t was cfeaky with age ana badly
tattered, but there was great excite
ment when it was found to have the
name of Anthony Stradivari in 1t. The
opinion of the local fiddlers was So
Iicfted and they seconded the view that
it was indeed a genuine Strad. One
of them even got himself disliked by
offering the family only $500 for the
instrument, News of the marvellous
find spread about the town, and the
family came to be regarded as poten-
TALLY rich. They acquired new, ex-
pensive house furnishings and an
automobile on the security of their
Strad. Many liberal offers for the
violin were rejected. but, as it turned
out, they waited too long. For one
evening friend brought we'll known
concert violinist to the house, who
told them that their wonderful strad
was only a cheap German copy, not
even worth the cost of repairing.
Injuries De Not Improve Violins.
There is also a widespread super
stitien to the effect that a violin is
often improved by being injured and
!. having its injury repaired" ex-
planned the violin expert. Nothing
could be more absurd, of course, but
1t is easy to see how the idea must
have originated. People who have
had their violiHs cracked take them to
an expert to be repaired. IN mending
the crack, he often discovers several
other defects as well and also cor
reefs them. AS a result the instru-
ment often does sound better than it
did before. But it is not the damage
which improves the violin; it is the
repaiFing-the substitution of new
parts for old, or the altering of the
size and thickness of certain parts.
i Not only is vielin not improved
by injuries. but the value of a Gre
mona violin is greatly enhanced If it
is in good condition. The condition
of the varnish is especially important.
recall at least one instance where
an ignorant violin repairer ruined a
genuine Guarnerius violin by seraping
eff all the varnish and applying a
thick coat of the modern Variety
1t is remarkable how well preserved
are some OF the old violins in the pos