Maker's inscription and authenticity

[Flyboy]

How easy (or often) are maker's inscriptions to fake? I have a (older) violin where the maker signed his name in pencil inside the instrument (not on the label), along with the date, his "serial number," and location. I have examples of this maker's handwriting & signature from authenticated sources, and the inscriptions inside the violin seem to be in his hand.

Does this at all reduce the likelihood that this instrument would be a "fake," or can the inscription be faked just like anything else, like the label?

[Michael Darnton]

Surely you can find someone who can forge a check? It doesn't seem like too rare of a skill. I understand that people who you'd think could barely write often do it. :-)

[Barry J. Griffiths]

Not quite the answer to your question, but don't get too carried away by makers names being branded inside instruments or on bows. There's a whole crop of bows on ebaY right now which are, in my opinion, from China with some pretty fancy names attached (Prager, for one). Some with horn frogs. CAVEAT EMPTOR!!!!

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...;category=10178

Barry

[Froggie]

Barry,

Does that look like pernambuco to you?

[Michael Darnton]

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...;category=10178

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...item=2560185896

Interesting---we seem to have the same bow sold twice. With positive feedback both times. Hmmm.

[Barry J. Griffiths]

Michael,

Perhaps we have underestimated Prager's consistent bow making abilities.

Froggie,

I've seen pernambuco which looks like that. That does not mean however that I believe that this bow is positively pernambuco. If I were purchasing the bow from a reputable source, be it wholesale or retail, I would feel more confident that the wood was correct. An ebaY seller such as this leaves me with more doubt than confidence.

Barry

[Ron1]

You say you already have the violin, so you have little to lose & much to possibly gain. don't listen, then, to all the doom & gloom you're getting- I'd try to find an "expert" on your particular maker, & see if you can get the instrument authenticated. There. At least some positive, possibly useful advice rather than doom & gloom horror stories. Ron

[elidatrading]

It's shouting "Chinese" to me, but we couldn't get pernambuco bows with horn frogs at anywhere near that price, not even from the factory gate in Shanghai.

Liz