robheys Posted October 18, 2012 Report Posted October 18, 2012 http://tarisio.com/pages/auction/auction_item.php?csid=2197733376&cpid=2700640256&sCategory_ID=36 The estimate seems very high for a Wulme-Hudson, even allowing for the fact that Tariso sales seem to attract high bids. I quite like the look of it, but then, I like a lot of strange things, so Is this one really so special? Rob
lyndon Posted October 18, 2012 Report Posted October 18, 2012 whats special is it has no label and no certificate or appraisal accompanying it
Jeffrey Holmes Posted October 18, 2012 Report Posted October 18, 2012 I'll let the sale decide the value, as is my usual stand, but wait a minute. Are you advocating evaluating paper or a violin when shopping at an auction, Lyndon?
bean_fidhleir Posted October 18, 2012 Report Posted October 18, 2012 I'll let the sale decide the value, as is my usual stand, but wait a minute. Are you advocating evaluating paper or a violin when shopping at an auction, Lyndon? Do you really mean "value", Jeffrey? Or only "price". I supposed Lyndon was thinking of the fact that anything made in Britain well within living memory should still have some sort of useful documentation attached.
jacobsaunders Posted October 18, 2012 Report Posted October 18, 2012 one could have a quiz, what label might be most appropriate (and if this would change Jefferys sale value decision!)
Jeffrey Holmes Posted October 18, 2012 Report Posted October 18, 2012 Ha! OK you two. You have me at your mercy. Value was the wrong choice of word. Price it is. G-W Hudsons (and I'd want to hold it before passing judgement on authenticity, but it seems to look OK at first blush) often don't bear the maker's label (sometimes no label, sometimes a facsimile), and often bear a small internal brand with the name of his Italian alter-ego (Gio. Carressi). Not unusual that they don't have much in terms of further documentation... though I did buy one accompanied by an original invoice once.
fiddlecollector Posted October 18, 2012 Report Posted October 18, 2012 Often have cedar fronts as well
Jeffrey Holmes Posted October 18, 2012 Report Posted October 18, 2012 Often have cedar fronts as well Yup.
robheys Posted October 18, 2012 Author Report Posted October 18, 2012 Thanks Jeffrey, but I'd argue that the actual price eventually bid will tell me nothing. As has often been pointed out here, all it needs is two people with more money than sense to bid against each other. What would interest me is why someone who knows their onions (which rules me out, but not, I assume, the people at Tarisio) would think this is worth much more than your average G.W-H. Whether or not it's authentic is imaterial to my question, the folks at Tarisio are offering it as such and so have presumably valued it as such, but still at a higher estimate than I would expect. Maybe my expectations are wrong, but that would also be a valid answer to my question. So my question is, assuming it is genuine (I'm not asking whether or not it is), why the high estimate? Would you give an answer after the auction?
Jeffrey Holmes Posted October 18, 2012 Report Posted October 18, 2012 I don't know the reason for the estimate for sure, so waiting until after the auction wouldn't change my answers much, I think. For what it's worth, it does look nice from here, in terms of the quality and model. Before I have a go, I should say that I think in the end, only Tarisio knows "why". Here's a few answers that may or may not be "correct". 1) The estimate may be higher than most Hudsons sell for at auction, but isn't out of line in a retail setting. Maybe they are hoping for a retail buyer. 2) The consignor was stiff on the reserve, or wanted a higher estimate, and they felt the violin worth trying as it fit into the sale well. 3) Riding high on a recent auction sale (by Tarisio) of a Hudson viola (around 13,000 BPS), they felt this violin could possibly make that. Mix and match as desired.
Ratcliffiddles Posted October 18, 2012 Report Posted October 18, 2012 I saw it last week, and to me, it screamed W H. As far as the Caressi brand, I have owned two Gagliano copies, a Guadagnini and a Testore effort without any brands or identification marks whatsoever. Two of them came directly from Wulme Hudson's nephew, and he still had an envelope with a ;ittle note from WH and variety of unused labels, needless to say not Wulme Hudson's labels
welshman Posted October 19, 2012 Report Posted October 19, 2012 My experience with GWH leads me not to expect a label or at least his label. I worked with a dealer while living in New York who brought me a violin to work on, he was very excited as it looked like a "real Italian" with a spiffy label. when I opened it up it was clear it was not what it was advertised but a "copy" by George Wulme- Hudson. it was nicely signed and dated on the rib but in a place impossible to see from the f-holes, now with the various scopes we have now it might be visible but then it took opening up the body to see. I gave him photos and i hope he did the right thing by it. Reese
duane88 Posted October 19, 2012 Report Posted October 19, 2012 Considering what some Wulme-Hudsons have passed for in the past, perhaps-much like the Voller Brothers-a bit of respect for the instruments that are sold as a GWH is finally coming around. They aren't bad instruments.
robheys Posted October 19, 2012 Author Report Posted October 19, 2012 Thanks for the responses, particularly Jeffreys. I get the impression then that the estimate is (probably) based much more on optimism than any particular qualities of this violin.
Conor Russell Posted October 19, 2012 Report Posted October 19, 2012 Considering what some Wulme-Hudsons have passed for in the past, perhaps-much like the Voller Brothers-a bit of respect for the instruments that are sold as a GWH is finally coming around. They aren't bad instruments. Considering what some Wulme-Hudsons have passed for in the past, perhaps-much like the Voller Brothers-a bit of respect for the instruments that are sold as a GWH is finally coming around. They aren't bad instruments. You beat me to it! I don't know any WH violins, but have come across a few Voller Brothers. I have admired them greatly, and often thought that the lack of respect for them is a hangover from the time when they caused some red faces in the London trade, and perhaps a little jealousy at their skill. We value our work very highly as modern makers, and so we should, yet we often seem to peg marvelous work from fifty or a hundred years ogo at a lower level.
JohnCockburn Posted October 19, 2012 Report Posted October 19, 2012 What's the correct way to pronounce "Wulme"? I always thought it was a silent "l" so like "womb", but I have heard a knowledgable person pronounce it "wool-me".
Jeffrey Holmes Posted October 19, 2012 Report Posted October 19, 2012 Considering what some Wulme-Hudsons have passed for in the past, perhaps-much like the Voller Brothers-a bit of respect for the instruments that are sold as a GWH is finally coming around. They aren't bad instruments. I rather like them, but they do vary... and I'd agree.
Bishopstrings Posted October 19, 2012 Report Posted October 19, 2012 I know this violin and the owner refused my lower offer! Its for sure GW Hudson...I've got 3....Its a high auction estimate but not retail. The best equal Voller....(this is not one of those). Anyway, I'm buying them if anyone wants to sell !!!!
Jeffrey Holmes Posted October 19, 2012 Report Posted October 19, 2012 "Anyway, I'm buying them if anyone wants to sell !!!! " I'll keep that in mind, Sean.
robheys Posted October 19, 2012 Author Report Posted October 19, 2012 .. I have admired them greatly, and often thought that the lack of respect for them is a hangover from the time when they caused some red faces in the London trade, and perhaps a little jealousy at their skill. Do you think they get less respect than other schools or makers? I have the impression they seem to be valued similarly to other British violins of that period (with the exception of the Vollers) and rather higher than violins of this period from, say the Berlin school. I think it was Bruce Carlson who mentioned a while ago finding a Doetsch which he would have judged as minor Italian until he opened it and found the signature, which speaks rather highly for Doetsch, but nonetheless they crop up quite regularly at auction for not a lot. The situation for other Berlin makers is quite similar while other Germans tend to be even cheaper (I can't comment on their relative quality though).
jacobsaunders Posted October 19, 2012 Report Posted October 19, 2012 What's the correct way to pronounce "Wulme"? I always thought it was a silent "l" so like "womb", but I have heard a knowledgable person pronounce it "wool-me". I remember my father telling me (don't know where he got it from) that he wasn't called "Wulme" (Wool-mmm) at all, but added his mothers maiden name(?), with hyphon, to distinguish himself from a (pretty crumby) amateur maker of the same name from Skegness
Jeffrey Holmes Posted October 19, 2012 Report Posted October 19, 2012 I'd always assumed the "l" was lightly addressed and the "e" silent... somewhat similarly to the way my last name is pronounced (except in some places in Asia where I hear "Hello Mr. Whole-mess"). Interesting trivia (your father's bit), Jacob. Thank you.
jacobsaunders Posted October 19, 2012 Report Posted October 19, 2012 May we all call you "Whole-mess"in the future?
JohnCockburn Posted October 19, 2012 Report Posted October 19, 2012 By the way... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rsl1zCyJ370
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