GeorgeH

That was last November at Tarisio.

What is "rather fatuous" is believing that investing in fine violins and art are good retirement investments. They are not. That was the point of that analysis. $23 million is a lot of money but $32.6 million is a lot more. Investments are liquid and they earn money in the long haul. Violins are illiquid and cash negative: they cost money to keep. With the investment in index funds, you could have a cash positive income stream from it throughout your 32 years and still end up with a big pot of money in your 70s. He donated the violin to his charitable foundation and thereby avoiding the 26% capital gains tax.

Price depends on many things. For a Strad or Guarneri model in very good condition, the price could be $35 - 50k depending on where you buy it. He was a great maker.

See a doctor.

The Strad was a very poor investment. The numbers tell the story: If Fulton had invested the same amount of money ($2.75 million) in an S&P 500 index fund at the same time he bought the Strad in 1992, and then sold the shares at the same time he sold the Strad, he would have made at least $9.6 million dollars more after inflation ($32.6 million versus $23 million) and that is before capital gains taxes of 15% for the securities instead of a 26% for the Strad. Before taxes, his investment would have grown by 41% more had he invested in the index fund (not that he needs the money). After taxes, the securities investment would have been even more profitable compared to the Strad. Plus we don't know the commissions or transaction costs for selling the Strad or the maintenance, restoration, and insurance costs over 32 years. It also took a long time to sell. (Obviously, Fulton did not buy the violin for investment purposes. He bought it to add to his remarkable collection.)

Thanks! Good to learn.

It is a pretty stick. French buttons most often (always?) have double collars, your button appears to be German with a single collar. How far does the octangular section of the stick extend from the butt end of the bow to where it transitions to round? Can you show a picture of where the lapping used to end compared to where the round section begins?

The scroll, the fat wide button, the varnish, and the general impression remind me of New England violins around that time, like John Alfred Gould's work.

It would be great if somebody who has seen the inside of violins coming out of the Boston workshops during that time could comment on this one. My guess was based on some of the features of the exterior and that the interior work does not appear to conform to any European traditions. Many American violins did not travel far from the place that they were made because they were purchased by locals from the maker, and even today violins by these lesser-known makers tend to be concentrated around where they were originally made. They were not sold by the big music houses and did not have national distribution. I would not dismiss out-of-hand the location of this violin as giving some clue to its origin along with the general impression of the instrument.

Something out of the Boston MA area late 18th early 19th century maybe?

No, it looks like there is (was?) a locator pin just above the saddle:

Does the presence of a locator pin in the top provide a hint to its origin?

Alfred Eugene Lanini c. 1918 did this, too.

How's that cutting board sound?

I have started playing a violin that sounds "off" when I start and doesn't sound better after 30 minutes or so. It just sounds the the same "off" way it did when I started. Often, I treat this as a sign that it needs new strings, and that is often correct. The experience that you describe I can believe is quite common, and I would suggest it is also likely due to the same psychology as the violin sounding "better" after playing. That I can recall, I have personally never experienced a violin sounding worse than when I started after playing it a while. I have experienced my playing deteriorate and frustration rise after 30 minutes, though.