Ebay violins

[Tiennou74]

2 eBay violins that caught my eye

i didn’t not bid but they looked pretty for the price 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/316416190429?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=k45yv0xfs0o&sssrc=4429486&ssuid=M36InOQaQ_u&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY
 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/205308054139?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=7BKsYYmPRbK&sssrc=4429486&ssuid=M36InOQaQ_u&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

[jacobsaunders]

are you the seller?

[Tiennou74]

I am not , I enjoy browsing eBay trying to find nice violins for cheap (under 500)

i wish I had more knowledge to discern a master instrument vs a regular factory instrument
 

[rickpmills]

Try buying for under £100. Then get them restored by a luthier for £150 to £200. It's fun. I've got some lovely old trade violins (£65, £77 & £45 + postage) which I love playing. Also some duds which get sent back into the never ending circle of vso's.

On one level you have to be an idiot to buy a violin on eBay but there is the odd bargain amongst the overpriced trash. A guy told me today (I won't name him) that he sold fine instruments! Having spent hours scrolling for bargains and being a self-confessed addict I would honestly say 75 to 85% of the violins are either massively overpriced or just plain rubbish.

So have fun or beware! If you don't know anything about violins, steer clear! Go to a shop.

[Violadamore]

17 hours ago, rickpmills said:

Try buying for under £100. Then get them restored by a luthier for £150 to £200. It's fun. I've got some lovely old trade violins (£65, £77 & £45 + postage) which I love playing. Also some duds which get sent back into the never ending circle of vso's.

On one level you have to be an idiot to buy a violin on eBay but there is the odd bargain amongst the overpriced trash. A guy told me today (I won't name him) that he sold fine instruments! Having spent hours scrolling for bargains and being a self-confessed addict I would honestly say 75 to 85% of the violins are either massively overpriced or just plain rubbish.

So have fun or beware! If you don't know anything about violins, steer clear! Go to a shop.

Thank you for your wise advice.  Just how many of the roughly 56,000 posts in this sub-forum have you read, BTW?  I am curious because around half of the threads in The Auction Scroll contain sentiments similar to yours somewhere.  Which one inspired you?     

While I wouldn't call anyone an idiot (preferable pejoratives exist, when necessary   ), I'd question the wisdom of buying on eBay if you can't do your own repairs and setup. Thank you for helping pay the bills of those of us who can.  

Bargains do turn up there, including fine instruments.  I've nailed four "keepers" over twenty years (along with a lot of trade fiddles to fix and flip).  It takes study and experience to recognize the good stuff, which few on eBay can do. The majority "haven't done their homework".  Some jaded cynics see rubbish everywhere, and miss what does turn up. 

Estate sales and auctions, IMHO, far outperform eBay for finding violins and bows worth having, at bargain prices, and nowadays, there's Amati and T2 to consider, as well.

Welcome.  The more, the merrier.  

[rickpmills]

Aye. Can't argue with a word of that. No wisdom in what I do. It's fun, I'm an addict and I love the idea of getting old violins going again after three quarters of a century and playing them in. Just got one back today, such a happy chappy!

[jacobsaunders]

On 8/8/2025 at 3:13 AM, Violadamore said:

I've nailed four "keepers" over twenty years

A Salustri quartette?

[Jeny Mahon]

On 8/7/2025 at 6:13 PM, Violadamore said:

Bargains do turn up there, including fine instruments.  I've nailed four "keepers" over twenty years (along with a lot of trade fiddles to fix and flip).  It takes study and experience to recognize the good stuff, which few on eBay can do. The majority "haven't done their homework".  Some jaded cynics see rubbish everywhere, and miss what does turn up. 

 

Agree! I've found some nice things over the years, so I always check.  

[Violadamore]

5 hours ago, jacobsaunders said:

A Salustri quartette?

Nope.  The Salustri, a Wm. Thompson, a Georg Klotz, and a Julius Zölch, all previously discussed here.  There's also a very nice early 2000's Chinese (before the good ones got pricey), I've hung onto, that was my first purchase on eBay.  Pretty wood, competent craftsmanship, nice tone, but I wouldn't count it as fine, just better grade Chinese trade that's aging well.  You might vaguely recall that I wound up getting it for "$50 and Free Shipping", after I sicced eBay buyer protection on the seller for deceptive marketing involving a blatantly faked American attribution.     

[jacobsaunders]

42 minutes ago, Violadamore said:

Nope.  The Salustri, a Wm. Thompson, a Georg Klotz, and a Julius Zölch, all previously discussed here.  There's also a very nice early 2000's Chinese (before the good ones got pricey), I've hung onto, that was my first purchase on eBay.  Pretty wood, competent craftsmanship, nice tone, but I wouldn't count it as fine, just better grade Chinese trade that's aging well.  You might vaguely recall that I wound up getting it for "$50 and Free Shipping", after I sicced eBay buyer protection on the seller for deceptive marketing involving a faked American attribution.     

The op should note that although there are obviously shining examples of genius causing breathtaking brilliant exceptions, the normal fate of an ebay addict is that either his money runs out, or his garage gets so full of junk, that he needs to build an extention

[Pluto Vermin]

^Or you keep trading down until you don't have anything.  I'm curious how VdM's Klotz was listed.  My guess would be no mention of Klotz, but the outline jumped out of the pics followed a look at the scroll

[Violadamore]

1 hour ago, Ganymede Piggot said:

^Or you keep trading down until you don't have anything.  I'm curious how VdM's Klotz was listed.  My guess would be no mention of Klotz, but the outline jumped out of the pics followed a look at the scroll

It was listed as a Stainer by a Boston seller, but was very obviously a mid 1700's Mittenwald, with fingerboard wedged original neck.  Had an original printed fake label, matching relevant museum photos.  I got it for $250 after some back-and-forth make offer exchanges.  Opening it up to cleat cracks clinched the Mittenwald provenance.  Tying it to the Klotzes took some time and correspondence.  Much thanks to people who've helped me with stuff like this.  You know who you are.  

[Blank face]

Who certified it as a Georg Kloz, out of the several dozens of possible Mittenwald makers from the period, or hundreds from later? At least it would be worth about 50 Salustris or more, with proper expertise.

[rickpmills]

Oh dear, I've been put in my place!

[L-DS]

I do occasionally peruse eBay and agree with you Rick, it's pretty addictive. And I feel a little sad for those old violins that won't get to be played again (less sad for the cheapo factory ones haha) - so if you land on a real bargain that doesn't need tonnes of repairs I'd say it's worth it just for the fun of setting it up and giving it a whirl. Most of them are pretty cool pieces of history!

Edited August 29, 2025 by L-DS

[Tiennou74]

The problem/fun is that it does get addictive (eBay or local ads). I’ve also had a few violins donated for free, hard to say no! Now the garage is full 
 

 

 

[Steelbeatinviolin]

Keep in mind that china is producing some nice looking violins. They looks like high end violins, but really are not. But then there are those good sounding cheap chinese violins for about $400.00

 

I am expecting the market to be saturated with them in our near future.

[rickpmills]

On 8/29/2025 at 10:22 PM, L-DS said:

I do occasionally peruse eBay and agree with you Rick, it's pretty addictive. And I feel a little sad for those old violins that won't get to be played again (less sad for the cheapo factory ones haha) - so if you land on a real bargain that doesn't need tonnes of repairs I'd say it's worth it just for the fun of setting it up and giving it a whirl. Most of them are pretty cool pieces of history!

You can, L-DS, buy ones that don't need repairs, they just need setting up, sometimes with a new soundpost, new nut & new pegs, but often just a new bridge & tail needed + strings. I tend to pay £40 - £60, up to £100. As I said before £150 to £200 to get them going. I love playing them all. Every single one (I'm up to 9 now, not as many as in Tiennou74's boot) has its own character & because they are set up by a luthier of 48 years' experience + being fitted with decent strings they play better than they ever have done in their lifetime. Yes, it's great fun, such a buzz when the violins come back ready to play. These are the 3 latest which I'm just about to send off. Actually one has a slight neck wiggle but it should be inexpensive to re-glue. Vive le violon! P.S. I am looking to sell a few now.