GeorgeH

It is in Tarisio's interest to put nice things in the T2. Papers or not, there are clearly some nice authentic instruments in this T2. I would not dismiss a certificate as being questionable simply because the instrument is in the T2 or the estimate seems low. (Disclosure: I do not have any lots in this auction.)

See:

Maggini models tend to be less valuable regardless of price category because classical players generally don't buy them, and they are even more problematic if they are greater than 360mm. "What might be reasonable to pay" is dependent on who and where it is being sold. In the eBay, this would like sell for less for than $300 without the case.

Probably not tuned.

Sure, someone would. Take it to a qualified string instrument appraiser who can personally examine the instrument, and give you a written insurance or fair-market-value appraisal.

OP=Original Poster which is shorter than Person Who Started the Thread (PWSTT). Sorry, but the case and materials inside have nothing to do with evaluating what your violin is or is not. Violins like yours were imported by the hundreds of thousands to the U.S. Your careful cataloging of the case and everything inside the case means nothing insofar as identifying your violin's origin. Everybody here so far agrees on what your violin plainly is, but you should contact @Ratcliffiddles to get a dendro report, if that is what you want. Your violin is basically damaged beyond economic repair, and a dendro would likely cost more than it is currently worth, but if you're feeling lucky, go for it. https://violin-dendrochronology.com The case looks nice, and Tarisio is likely more interested in potentially auctioning the case than the violin.

Then you know that you can't date a painting by the age of the frame.

"Perfectionism breeds procrastination which breeds paralysis."

You're right, thanks for pointing this out.

To my eye, the area highlighted looks like the plain at the end of the neck, hence a though-neck.

A question for the luthiers: Do you cut a bridge in its entirety before trying it, or do you fit the feet and top first, and then modify the bridge based on feedback from installing and testing it on the instrument?

When a string is vibrating, the bow hair moving across the string is vibrating, too. There is a simultaneous interaction between the vibrating string and the vibrating hair that creates a tone. Some of the vibrations from the bow hair are dampened by the stick, and qualities of the stick will affect how the vibrations are dampened. Different bows will dampen vibrations differently, and these differences can be audibly observed. Players trying to compensate for differences in bows will also change a violin tone from bow to bow and player to player. This is not a placebo effect. Interestingly, and as an aside, the effects of bows on violin tone are generally ignored when violin tone tests are performed.

I don't know what "buttery" sounds like. Have you found bows that worked but were unaffordable? If not, and you have tried a lot of different bows without success, then maybe it is your violin and not your bow. I have found that many ~60g early 20th c. H.R. Pfretzschner bows are pretty reliably good bows, and are still affordable. You might also try some good carbon fiber bows. The Codabow Luma model (58g) might work for you. You could also take a few days to fly or drive to a city with more dealers so you could try a greater variety of bows.

Curiosity. Maggini copies are often over 360mm, so I was wondering about this one.