Buying at a Violin auction? A great way to find fantastic violins
Good for you. The rewards can be great. There are a huge range of instruments for sale through auctions one way or another. You can buy instruments cheaply through eBay and other similar online auctions. And you can buy a fine Stradavari through the international auction houses. Something for everyone then! How to Buy at a violin auction eBayMost people are familiar with e Bay. Its a bit of pot luck. You can't try the instrument. But if its a bargain you are after, and you don't mind taking a bit of a calculated risk, it can be agreat way to buy. Auctions are time limited. Violins are listed - with photos in most cases. There are certain rules about the way items for sale are described. Sellers need to take responsibility for the accuracy of the desciption. But they can only tell you what they know - and there are lots of people selling the violin they have found in the cupboard. They aren't necessarily experts and might not know what to tell you about the instrument. You can ask sellers questions - so do! Check the seller's postage and returns policy before you bid and make sure you are happy. Also check what paymentmethods are accepted and make sure you pay promptly if you value your feedback on e Bay. You can pay through Paypal meaning you don't need to divluge your credit card details I would caution against spending too much money on an instrument in this type of violin auction. You cannot be sure how the instrument will work out and you also cannot be sure of the violin's authenticity. The violin trade has always been absolutely rife with forgeries, fake labels that are so good its difficult to tell. So be warned. But if you are after a trade violin, or perhaps a new instrument, you can get seriously good buys. So why not have a go? Auction houses At the other end of the scale are the international violin auctions theough the major auction houses such as
Catalogues are usually available in advance online or by order. You might be able to request a condition report of an instrument. This is worth doing. Reputable auction houses will do their best to describe instrumentsaccurately. It isn't a guarantee but it help you form a picture of the violin you might beinterested in. Might save you a long journey. There will be a viewing day ahead of the actual auction. I cannot stress enough thatyou should go to this and take someone else with you if possible. You want to hear the violinif you are about to spend a lot of money on it. Try the instrument out. Speak to the auction house about it, find out what the guide price is and ensure you are happy about this. You need to keep a cool head when you bid and set your limitof what the instrument is worth to you. Check the auction house's policy on authenticity of instruments. Some will guarantee the authenticity of particular instruments and you can sometimes receive certificates or letters and other documentswhich will give you comfort about the violin's provenance. Always remeber that you might want to sell it again sometime. If you have doubts, so will buyers in the future. Do all thatyou can to ensure you get as much paperwork as possible.You can usually arrange to bid online, or by telephone, rather than actually attend the auction.I have bid by telephone before and found it very easy. If you do attend, you may be asked to put a deposit down to receive a number, or paddle, which you then use when you bid.The buying process will be explained in the catalogue. You should also check the payment terms. There will be timescales for the invoice and payment. As well as the bid price, you should bank on paying a buyerspremium and and shipping fees, insurance etc to make sure the instrument reaches you safely. Of course, for many of us, the fine violins of the master makers are sadly out of our reach. But auction houses often sell speculative violin and bows too and good student violins which might need a bit of restoration. Smaller local auctions can be a treasure trove. Even if you don't intend to buy - its fun to go watch others spending their money. Final tips ... Auction houses' catalogues and websites are a great source of information. You can see some of theworld's great violins this way and learn a lot. You can also track the market and, if youare interested enough in a particular maker you will get to know the value of their instruments. Be warned. Buying at violin auctions can be seriously addictive. Its all part of being passionte about violins!. Serious collectors' essential reading includes Four Centuries of Violin Making: Fine Instruments from the Sotheby's Archive Good hunting!
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