Dwight Brown Posted May 12, 2023 Report Posted May 12, 2023 https://ingleshayday.com/auction/1023-3/violin-by-amati-andrea-lot193/ Considering the rarity of A.Amati instruments (22 now?) this seems a pretty low estimate. DLB
jacobsaunders Posted May 12, 2023 Report Posted May 12, 2023 doesn’t seem to have papers (not mentioned anyway), or a label, is a bit small, has a replacement head, and it seems a soundpost crack in the back on a superficial look, but perhaps it’s your big chance
Dwight Brown Posted May 12, 2023 Author Report Posted May 12, 2023 1 hour ago, jacobsaunders said: doesn’t seem to have papers (not mentioned anyway), or a label, is a bit small, has a replacement head, and it seems a soundpost crack in the back on a superficial look, but perhaps it’s your big chance 354mm seems pretty middle of the road size wise. John Dilworth wrote a short article about it. It’s not a certificate but I’m inclined to respect his opinion. I’m going to have to get real lucky to get to bid on it. Probably should go to a museum. DLB
Dwight Brown Posted May 12, 2023 Author Report Posted May 12, 2023 https://ingleshayday.com/features/andrea-amati-chronicles-of-a-rediscovered-treasure/ DLB
jacobsaunders Posted May 12, 2023 Report Posted May 12, 2023 57 minutes ago, Dwight Brown said: https://ingleshayday.com/features/andrea-amati-chronicles-of-a-rediscovered-treasure/ DLB Thanks for your link, Since John finds it analogous with Marco Polo, Leonado da Vinci and Shakespeare, it does seem good value for money. That puts Martin Swan advertising copy to shame
martin swan Posted May 12, 2023 Report Posted May 12, 2023 1 hour ago, jacobsaunders said: Thanks for your link, Since John finds it analogous with Marco Polo, Leonado da Vinci and Shakespeare, it does seem good value for money. That puts Martin Swan advertising copy to shame Damn I'm going to have to up my game
Dwight Brown Posted May 12, 2023 Author Report Posted May 12, 2023 2 hours ago, jacobsaunders said: Thanks for your link, Since John finds it analogous with Marco Polo, Leonado da Vinci and Shakespeare, it does seem good value for money. That puts Martin Swan advertising copy to shame He makes a good viola too! DLB
Violadamore Posted May 12, 2023 Report Posted May 12, 2023 4 hours ago, Dwight Brown said: https://ingleshayday.com/features/andrea-amati-chronicles-of-a-rediscovered-treasure/ DLB 3 hours ago, jacobsaunders said: Thanks for your link, Since John finds it analogous with Marco Polo, Leonado da Vinci and Shakespeare, it does seem good value for money. That puts Martin Swan advertising copy to shame 2 hours ago, martin swan said: Damn I'm going to have to up my game Yup. He's writing prose almost worthy of @pahdah_hound
Bowjob Posted May 15, 2023 Report Posted May 15, 2023 Normally, I would be a sucker for such a rare item - so I went to see and play it. The condition is not great: The top has something of a Swiss cheese and the back a full-body patch. There is also some wood worm and the head is not original - that might explain the estimate. The sound was good, but did not blow my socks off (unlike, e.g., the Balestrieri) - but who cares about that ;-) The value is hard to tell I guess, as these only come to the market every quarter century or so. When I sold something similarly rare at Sotheby's some years ago, the final price exceeded the estimate by the factor 5 - we will see!
Dwight Brown Posted May 15, 2023 Author Report Posted May 15, 2023 1 hour ago, Bowjob said: Normally, I would be a sucker for such a rare item - so I went to see and play it. The condition is not great: The top has something of a Swiss cheese and the back a full-body patch. There is also some wood worm and the head is not original - that might explain the estimate. The sound was good, but did not blow my socks off (unlike, e.g., the Balestrieri) - but who cares about that ;-) The value is hard to tell I guess, as these only come to the market every quarter century or so. When I sold something similarly rare at Sotheby's some years ago, the final price exceeded the estimate by the factor 5 - we will see! It's about as old as a violin could be. I have spoken with a relative of the late owner and I gather it was all in pieces in a box until recently. I'm not sure I am right about that but that is how I understood them. DLB
Urban Luthier Posted May 25, 2023 Report Posted May 25, 2023 On 5/12/2023 at 12:55 PM, jacobsaunders said: ...is a bit small... If the Andrea Amati Opera Omnia catalog can be believed, AA made violins in two sizes - Small and Smaller
Dwight Brown Posted May 26, 2023 Author Report Posted May 26, 2023 This one is a pretty normal size 354 mm. Not that small right in the middle of “normal”. 350-359mm
Pate Bliss Posted May 26, 2023 Report Posted May 26, 2023 On 5/15/2023 at 12:42 PM, Bowjob said: The sound was good, but did not blow my socks off (unlike, e.g., the Balestrieri) There are two, 121 and 206. 121 is less than half the estimate of the other but it's the one I'd want. On 5/15/2023 at 12:42 PM, Bowjob said: but who cares about that ;-) Not me Edit: I just noticed 121 is "circle of". I still like it better than the one that's supposed to be all square.
Dwight Brown Posted May 26, 2023 Author Report Posted May 26, 2023 I’m pretty sure I could go to the bank and have them participate in my bad decision but I will adult for the moment. DLB
gowan Posted May 26, 2023 Report Posted May 26, 2023 I think I agree with DB that it should be in a museum. I guess it is playable but the condition is pretty dodgy, and how much are you going to pay to keep it playable?
vvh Posted June 6, 2023 Report Posted June 6, 2023 Final sale price came out to be 264k! Thoughts? Ingles' estimates on most lots seemed to be much lower than what they ended up going for.
Shelbow Posted June 6, 2023 Report Posted June 6, 2023 34 minutes ago, vvh said: Final sale price came out to be 264k! Thoughts? Ingles' estimates on most lots seemed to be much lower than what they ended up going for. Better lower estimates and achieve higher prices than the other way round.
Dwight Brown Posted June 7, 2023 Author Report Posted June 7, 2023 That’s amazing! I thought perhaps it had legs. DLB
Dwight Brown Posted June 7, 2023 Author Report Posted June 7, 2023 Some Auction records A. Amati P. Mantegazza DLB a great deal of lots beat their record by considerable amounts.
Kev Chanot Posted June 15, 2023 Report Posted June 15, 2023 On 6/7/2023 at 2:21 AM, Dwight Brown said: Some Auction records A. Amati P. Mantegazza DLB a great deal of lots beat their record by considerable amounts. Most of the lots in Norman's collection had not been on the open market for several decades. In my opinion, that would explain the high prices.
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