Authentic Alessandro D'Espine Violin?

[bdublious]

See pictures, wondering if this is an authentic Alessandro D'Espine Violin? Price estimates?

 

[bdublious]

I found this and it looks nearly the same

https://www.cafr.ebay.ca/itm/ANTIQUE-4-4-VIOLIN-LABELED-DESPINE-/232619895365

[martin swan]

Not authentic - looks over-varnished or heavily worked over ...

[martin swan]

Managed to see some of the images on the expired Ebay listing - definitely the same violin.

Oh dear, how depressing. I hope you are neither the buyer nor the seller.

[bdublious]

Luckily i am neither, just saw it on a local auction!

[Marijan Radaljac]

Such an amazing description by the seller. NOS, 100 years old bridge is there too.

[hendrik]

The most depressing part being the extensive worm damage?

[martin swan]

The most depressing part being the assertion that the workmanship is all so close to that of d'Espine that it must surely be authentic, and that numerous experts agree, or at least think it's the most exquisite copy they've seen, even though no-one seems willing to actually authenticate it. Even the label is proper laid paper!

And of course the assertion that it's a very very valuable violin with a hypnotising sound.

I also find it quite insulting that the seller quotes the Tarisio biography of d'Espine, when even the most cursory glance at any of the d'Espines on Cozio would make it clear that this isn't one.

[Dave Slight]

Also depressing that writing a lot of utter bollocks seems to get people very excited.

You'd think it would never work, and that people would obviously see through it, but time and time again, these things sell well, and often it's something you'd struggle to give away in the first place.

[bdublious]

https://bid.repocast.com/lots/1249687#aWQ9MTI0OTY4NyZsaW1pdD0xNTAmb2Zmc2V0PTU0JnBhZ2U9MSZwcmV2W3BhZ2VdPXdsJnByZXZbd2lkXT0yJnN0YXR1cz1hbGwmdHlwZT13YXRjaGluZw..

 

Well it just got sold again for a few hundred dollars less than the ebay sale

[Marijan Radaljac]

On 9/5/2018 at 9:46 PM, bdublious said:

I found this and it looks nearly the same

https://www.cafr.ebay.ca/itm/ANTIQUE-4-4-VIOLIN-LABELED-DESPINE-/232619895365

What do you mean with "nearly the same"? It is the same violin. 

[Jeffrey Holmes]

Ugggg.  I was going to put up a photo of a D'Espine, but decided it really might not do any good in this case. Too far off the mark.

[martin swan]

Jeffrey, you still managing to hold down your lunch?

 

[germain]

A little over $1000. Not a bad price for that fiddle... especially if the sound is really hypnotizing 

[Jeffrey Holmes]

7 hours ago, martin swan said:

Jeffrey, you still managing to hold down your lunch?

 

  Hey Martin... how's the new shop shaping up?

[martin swan]

Hi Jeffrey

The place is great! We have had an exhausting time with builders and planning/conservation officers - it’s taken well over a year and a half to get the place habitable, but the end is in sight and it’s already such a joy compared to the last place which was so cramped. Now I have an office, a workshop, a big room for instruments and two public rooms - one big and resonant and the other smaller and with a deader acoustic.

If you’re ever in the south of England I hope you’ll look us up. We also have cooking facilities!!

 

[Jeffrey Holmes]

21 minutes ago, martin swan said:

Hi Jeffrey

The place is great! We have had an exhausting time with builders and planning/conservation officers - it’s taken well over a year and a half to get the place habitable, but the end is in sight and it’s already such a joy compared to the last place which was so cramped. Now I have an office, a workshop, a big room for instruments and two public rooms - one big and resonant and the other smaller and with a deader acoustic.

If you’re ever in the south of England I hope you’ll look us up. We also have cooking facilities!!

 

Sounds fantastic!  Thank you.  If in the midwest US, same goes. I've been a bit busy in that department myself. I also have cooking capacities in the shop.  Didn't think I'd care about that aspect,, but I find it very handy. Building things up while trying to run a business is challenging, but worth it!

Front room and deck:

 

[ClefLover]

17 hours ago, Jeffrey Holmes said:

Sounds fantastic!  Thank you.  If in the midwest US, same goes. I've been a bit busy in that department myself. I also have cooking capacities in the shop.  Didn't think I'd care about that aspect,, but I find it very handy. Building things up while trying to run a business is challenging, but worth it!

Front room and deck:

 

Didn’t your mother ever tell you the coffee table is no place the feet?  Mine did...

[Jeffrey Holmes]

22 minutes ago, ClefLover said:

Didn’t your mother ever tell you the coffee table is no place the feet?  Mine did...

Luckily, my mother isn't around to remind me.  

 

 

[ClefLover]

9 minutes ago, Jeffrey Holmes said:

Luckily, my mother isn't around to remind me.  

 

 

Nor mine, but, unluckily, her ghost reminds me of little annoying things... to this day I make my bed so tight I can “bounce a dime on it.”  I blame her military background.  

[uncle duke]

An elevator can be of some use for those with advancing age approaching soon.  May as well save some footsteps, if possible.

18 hours ago, Jeffrey Holmes said:

 Building things up while trying to run a business is challenging, but worth it!

 

 

[martin swan]

1 hour ago, ClefLover said:

Didn’t your mother ever tell you the coffee table is no place the feet?  Mine did...

See I was just admiring Jeffrey’s loafers ... 

[Jeffrey Holmes]

8 hours ago, uncle duke said:

An elevator can be of some use for those with advancing age approaching soon.  May as well save some footsteps, if possible.

No worries.  Elevator is to the right, across the deck, about 25 feet.  Handy for getting benches cabinets and pianos up as well.

[Pate Bliss]

Someday I'll have a violin shop with a pool and polo grounds too. 

[martin swan]

Sounds like someone we know in NYC!