Upcoming Musical Instrument Auctions WORLDWIDE (January-December 2024)- List on first page

[GeorgeH]

5 hours ago, David Alex T. said:

Interesting questions for buyers. But maybe not in the interest of Auction house. Personnaly I don't bid much, just on  few dirty things and books.

I participated in an auction where most of the lower price-estimate items (under $3000) sold for below their lower estimates and about 75% the higher price-estimate items passed despite some getting some significant and long bidding close to the low estimates for several of the passed lots.

There is a lot of marketing information in the overall results of that auction for potential consigners, buyers, and the auction house. I am sure that the house was disappointed in the results, but they can learn from them if they choose. They also keep the auction results posted after the auction.

[Altgeiger]

2 hours ago, GeorgeH said:

There is a lot of marketing information in the overall results of that auction for potential consigners, buyers, and the auction house. I am sure that the house was disappointed in the results, but they can learn from them if they choose. They also keep the auction results posted after the auction

The auction house has exactly zero interest in you being a well-informed buyer. They have the data from their sales, and they can use it to act in their interest and that of their consigners; why, from their point of view, should they give it to you? I don't get why you continue to expect that.

[deans]

33 minutes ago, Altgeiger said:

I don't get why you continue to expect that.

I suppose because many auction houses do. And if you take Tarisio as an example, I think they probably found it has helped them mored than hurt.

[GeorgeH]

1 hour ago, Altgeiger said:

The auction house has exactly zero interest in you being a well-informed buyer. They have the data from their sales, and they can use it to act in their interest and that of their consigners; why, from their point of view, should they give it to you? I don't get why you continue to expect that.

The auction house has significant interest in attracting both well-informed consigners and buyers as well as attractive high-value lots.

Why would a seller consign to an auction house where many or most of the sales either fall below the minimum estimate or don't sell at all?

This is exactly what can happen if not enough interested well-informed bidders participate and/or the estimates are too high and/or the reserves are too high and/or the estimates are too high and/or the starting bids are too high or too low.

Why would a buyer participate if most of the lots have unattractively high estimates and/or starting bids?

So, yes, auction houses have reasons to hide the result of their auctions if their auctions are failing, but doing so will not attract buyers or sellers. Successful auction houses know that good past performance is their very best marketing tool to attract consigners and buyers.

 

[jacobsaunders]

54 minutes ago, GeorgeH said:

The auction house has significant interest in attracting both well-informed consigners and buyers

 

I think you can leave it to auctioneers to decide what they have “significant interest” in, and I doubt that that would include “well informed” buyers

[SJW]

On 12/7/2024 at 11:46 AM, martin swan said:

How would you like them to prove that silver is silver or that gold is gold?

 

Sorry if i missed your question earlier. I have a set of chemical pens and brush on liquids I use to start the process of verifying metals content. When those are not giving me clear results based on surface color changes or if I really need more specific information for something like a repair tied to an insurance claim, I go see a coin collector friend who has a handheld xrf analyser. This little device simply needs to be touching the surface of the metal to read what it is likely made from. It can also show percent of metal type. This is helpful if you suspect a piece may be plated.

[martin swan]

3 hours ago, SJW said:

Sorry if i missed your question earlier. I have a set of chemical pens and brush on liquids I use to start the process of verifying metals content. When those are not giving me clear results based on surface color changes or if I really need more specific information for something like a repair tied to an insurance claim, I go see a coin collector friend who has a handheld xrf analyser. This little device simply needs to be touching the surface of the metal to read what it is likely made from. It can also show percent of metal type. This is helpful if you suspect a piece may be plated.

Personally I find the metals used in bows (silver, gold alloy, nickel or pinchbeck) to be recognizeable at a cursory glance. Auction houses have been known to make occasional mistakes, but this would be covered under trades descriptions.

I've never heard of plated bow parts. Surely they are too fiddly for this to be practical and too small for it to be economic? 

[fiddlecollector]

Hand held xrf guns are pretty expensive for a reliable one ,your talking 15-23 k £GBp ,not really worth while unless you can find a cheap used one. Some scrap metal dealers/yards have one.

I have seen what i suspected plated bow fittings on some  1850-1900 French bows, which are now often very pitted ,as well as sometimes the use of aluminium.No idea if this was just the odd experimental practice or what as i have no info on it other than the bows ive came across.

[Blank face]

I have seen silver plated buttons at some good German bows from the first decades of the last century, too, f.e. at Prells. Usually easy to recognize because the rather thin silver plate wears off quickly.

[martin swan]

In the context of SJW's concerns about auction houses, I don't think there are many circumstances in which plated silver or gold parts would make a palpable difference to the value of an item.

[SJW]

On 12/20/2024 at 6:30 PM, martin swan said:

In the context of SJW's concerns about auction houses, I don't think there are many circumstances in which plated silver or gold parts would make a palpable difference to the value of an item.

You are correct in the context I was asking, thank you for your response.

I was asking because I have encountered repair men who will buy broken instruments as lowas possible with the intent to harvest parts rather than to repair or to have wood of acertain age for repair.

Sometimes the metal makes a difference in what they're willing to spend. In a pinch, the higher quality metals can be scrapped at a good rate. Such as where gold has been recently, around 2600 usd per ounce.

[SJW]

On 12/20/2024 at 12:44 PM, fiddlecollector said:

Hand held xrf guns are pretty expensive for a reliable one ,your talking 15-23 k £GBp ,not really worth while unless you can find a cheap used one. Some scrap metal dealers/yards have one.

I have seen what i suspected plated bow fittings on some  1850-1900 French bows, which are now often very pitted ,as well as sometimes the use of aluminium.No idea if this was just the odd experimental practice or what as i have no info on it other than the bows ive came across.

Agree they can be expensive. As I mentioned my coin collector friend graciously let's me borrow his. The xrf set him back around 6000 usd as a certified used device but he made it back quickly with a few antique coin sales.

[SJW]

For anyone curious, the items that did not sell at the recent Chicago Violins Auctions are being offered for sale direct from the owner. She recently put up a new website reviving the old music shop she inherited. https://sherry-brener.com/contact

A friend of mine has been to her shop and is helping her get her new business up and running. The auction was a way to clear out a few pieces and get some seed money for reopening the business. He said to use the website contact form or call and ask for Amy. Rumor is she selling everything fairly low but is not quick to respond.

I dont know much about the other violin inventory she is supposed to have but if you are into guitars she is said to have inherited over 300 Ramirez classical guitars in various states of disrepair and some NOS never set up for playing. These guitars come with their own sorted history as they are rumored to be Ramirez fakes, to have been relabeled against the wishes of the builders, and have other authenticity and claims concerns. But to an intermediate player they would still be a good next step. There is too much to go into here about the guitar scandal but search Sherry-Brener Ramirez if you like interesting stories.

Happy New Year to you all.

[Shelbow]

Sounds like a complicated situation