fiddler59 Posted January 6, 2005 Report Share Posted January 6, 2005 I just bought a Woodbury violin made by William Conant dated 1847 Brattleboro VT. It is a killer violin. It is in VG condition. Any one have any info on these fiddles and a ball park of what it is worth ???? TIA Fiddler Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regis Posted January 6, 2005 Report Share Posted January 6, 2005 Baxter shows $1,175 and Tarisio shows $374 - $1175 for Wiliam Conant work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GlennYorkPA Posted January 6, 2005 Report Share Posted January 6, 2005 Any chance of a picture or two? Pre civil war violins in good conditions are quite rare. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fiddler59 Posted January 6, 2005 Author Report Share Posted January 6, 2005 I'll see if I can take some and if I can remember how to post them. fiddler Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhilipKT Posted January 6, 2005 Report Share Posted January 6, 2005 Someone needs to write a book on New England violin makers. Chris Reuning is supposedly an expert on them, so why isn't he writing the definitive work???? Anyway, Conant was one of the really fine american violin makers. He started as a cabinet maker and switched to making violins, after beginning with cellos and basses in 1841. He began numbering his violins in 1876 and made 700 numbered pieces, for a total of over 1000 violins. Yours is a very very early example, and may not be as fne as his later violins. I have owned three numbered Conants, and each sold for between 3000-4500)Each sounded wonderful and was very very well made, by a hand that knew it's business. The varnish was a dull, boring brown, but the wood and workmanship were very fine. Conant was said to get his wood from old buildings and covered bridges. I had a brief correspondence with a fellow who collects Conants, and he had some wonderful yellow examples, though he said the dull brown varnish was typical. I think it's worth more than the prices quoted. If it's crack-free, I can't imagine it being worth less than a solid 4K, if it has the typical varnish. If it has the Yellow varnish, or any non-standard varnish, it should be worth more. I look forward to pictures. Philip Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guy_Gallo Posted January 6, 2005 Report Share Posted January 6, 2005 Quote: I'll see if I can take some and if I can remember how to post them. fiddler See Posting Photographs on Maestronet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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