Authenticity is one of the more vexing issues for the string instrument trade. The consumer point of view regarding authenticity of instruments and bows is often simple: Will a highly regarded expert issue a certificate? Or even more naively, is it “papered”? But what is behind a certificate, what makes an instrument genuine, and what […]
A Scandal for All Seasons?
WinterThe headlines have been sensational: “Dealers Gain Collectors Trust, Score Multi-million Dollar Bonanza”… “London, Chicago Experts Finagle Holy Grail Cache of Violins”… “How Nazis Targeted the World’s Finest Violins”… “Trail of Treasures is Lost in Secret Rare Instrument Trade”… “Survivors’ Claims Go Unheard”… “Historic Violin Tug-of-War”… A relentless campaign attempting to expose the underbelly of […]
Assessing Tone Wood Using the Lucchi Meter
Winter
Francois Xavier Tourte and Dominique Pecatte never used a Lucchi meter. In fact it was not until the late 20th Century that the first Lucchi meter was developed. Today however, the Lucchi meter has become so ubiquitous that the pricing of bow blanks is directly tied into the Lucchi meter reading. So what is this […]
Understanding Appraisal Bafflegab
WinterThe Segelman lawsuit, covered elsewhere on this site, is just one of a few scandals in recent times which have been particularly murky due to problems of widespread ignorance among non-professionals in their interaction with the string instrument trade. Likewise, ignorance on the part of those who have been reporting on the scandals in the […]
Can the Courts Be Used to Settle a Score? The case of Russell v. Anderson
FallThe case of Russell v. Anderson represents a rare opportunity for the string instrument world to observe the end game in the sorts of legal disputes that can arise around authenticity of fine art objects. The results of the trial which concluded in September are a matter of public record, and the full, verbatim copy […]