Well here's a curious fiddle on eBay

[Cuzco School]

I just want to post this to see what the lads and lassies have to say about it!

VIOLIN on eBay

[martin swan]

Are you the seller?

First of all I wouldn't buy anything from a seller with private feedback - sellers only make their feedback private either to allow them to bid on their own items or to prevent buyers from seeing what they've already sold (for instance the same violin which was previously returned by a disgruntled buyer).

Secondly I wouldn't buy a violin from someone who didn't offer a return - why would a seller refuse to accept returns? Because the item isn't really saleable ....

This violin has a very Bohemian button - it also looks to have been revarnished, or at least over-varnished. It's not a Testore!

But it's quite pretty and if the sound is really good then the starting price is fair - though eBay bargain hunters hate starting prices and I doubt anyone will buy it.

[jacobsaunders]

I just want to post this to see what the lads and lassies have to say about it!

Schönbach, mid 19th. C.

[Cuzco School]

Are you the seller?

First of all I wouldn't buy anything from a seller with private feedback - sellers only make their feedback private either to allow them to bid on their own items or to prevent buyers from seeing what they've already sold (for instance the same violin which was previously returned by a disgruntled buyer).

Secondly I wouldn't buy a violin from someone who didn't offer a return - why would a seller refuse to accept returns? Because the item isn't really saleable ....

This violin has a very Bohemian button - it also looks to have been revarnished, or at least over-varnished. It's not a Testore!

But it's quite pretty and if the sound is really good then the starting price is fair - though eBay bargain hunters hate starting prices and I doubt anyone will buy it.

Me the seller? Heck no. It kind of looks like a Hungarian instrument from the 1820s I have by a fellow named Ertl. The instrument looks pretty cool, but the seller is located in"USA" which is the anonymous seller location for most fraudulent sales, and combined with a no return policy and no feedback as a seller I wouldn't go near it either. That button is odd and it has a real looking Testore brand on it. Maybe a copy?

[martin swan]

Jacob has spoken - nuff said!

[lyndon]

i dont think any of the real testores used a testore brand on the back, thats a feature of the copies from 1800s, i think

[jacobsaunders]

Jacob has spoken - nuff said!

I'm a mere mortal, Martin, you are welcome/encoraged to form you're own opinion

[martin swan]

I already gave my opinion, which was "Bohemian"! But I am mortal too, of course .....

Jacob, do you know the Scottish usage of "mortal"? It belongs to a well-used group of descriptive terms - bevvied, bleutered, shit-faced, steaming, mortal etc

You know what they say about the Inuit having a hundred words for snow!

[jacobsaunders]

I already gave my opinion, which was "Bohemian"! But I am mortal too, of course .....

Jacob, do you know the Scottish usage of "mortal"? It belongs to a well-used group of descriptive terms - bevvied, bleutered, shit-faced, steaming, mortal etc

You know what they say about the Inuit having a hundred words for snow!

No, Martin, I don't know the Scottish connotation of "Mortal", I'm sure you will explain it too me. (glad I didn't say "I'm only shit-faced")

[martin swan]

god I thought you'd know at least one of them .... here are some more

hammered, trashed, stotious

think Glasgow on a Saturday night

[stephen maloney]

god I thought you'd know at least one of them .... here are some more

hammered, trashed, stotious

think Glasgow on a Saturday night

Sounds like my kind of place! What of the young lasses in Glasgow? Are

they liberal with their affections of a Saturday night? I could use my

Maestronet credentials to impress, if needed. Please advise.

[lyndon]

maestronet credentials?????

[jacobsaunders]

maestronet credentials?????

He is a "Senior Member", wheras we are both just "Enthusiasts"

[stephen maloney]

He is a "Senior Member", wheras we are both just "Enthusiasts"

Yes, and it's just that sort of thing that could impress the girls in Glasgow, while cruising the singles bars.

As an example, here is a very realistic possible dialogue at a local pub -

Steverino: "Hi, I'm Steve. May I buy you a drink and a deep fried Mars bar?"

Lass: "Sure, OK. I'm Katarina. Where are you from, handsome?"

Steverino: I'm from the USA; I mostly post idiocies on Maestronet.

Lass: (blushingly, licking her lips, flipping hair back): "Oh wow, Maestronet. Of course I've heard of it... Wow...um...actually Steve, would you like to go to some place a little more private? I have the Strad 3D DVD back at my place. "

etc., etc.

Maestronet: it's a game changer.

Steverino

Senior Member, Maestronet

[martin swan]

I take it Katarina is an economic migrant, perhaps from the Czech Republic?

A real Glasgow girl would most likely head-butt you, and she wouldn't stop eating her fish& chips to do it ....

[stephen maloney]

A real Glasgow girl would most likely head-butt you, and she wouldn't stop eating her fish& chips to do it ....

Sheesh. You can defend me, perhaps? Intervene? I thought you were going to go bar-hopping with me, show me the ropes and so on?

[jacobsaunders]

Sheesh. You can defend me, perhaps? Intervene? I thought you were going to go bar-hopping with me, show me the ropes and so on?

He's a "Senior Member" too, wouldn't rely on one of those.

[scribe]

I already gave my opinion, which was "Bohemian"! But I am mortal too, of course .....

Jacob, do you know the Scottish usage of "mortal"? It belongs to a well-used group of descriptive terms - bevvied, bleutered, shit-faced, steaming, mortal etc

You know what they say about the Inuit having a hundred words for snow!

Martin,

you'll have Mr Salmond chasing you for giving us a bad reputation!!

p.s. almost got the Duncan wolf tamed but not quite as much as I'd like.

Gordon

[Doc Eastman]

I just want to post this to see what the lads and lassies have to say about it!

VIOLIN on eBay

I note the neck graft in the photo of the scroll. I believe this is consistent with a pre-modern instrument upgraded to a modern neck, but is not proof in and of itself (can be faked).

[martin swan]

Almost always evidence of a repaired neck!

Very rarely evidence of a pre 1820s violin (especially on ebay).

Occasionally evidence of someone scratching on a graft line with a compass (especially on ebay).