Violin Forum/Message Board

fire035 · Junior Member Joined: 24 Nov 2014 Posts: 6

I hope that i didnt made a mistake and put this in a wrong section!

Now, I have recently discovered this violin!

[img=http://s14.postimg.org/75ye1qmb1/20141122_153235.jpg][img=http://s14.postimg.org/n80x84m0d/20141122_153321.jpg][img=http://s14.postimg.org/q0u4s5mct/20141122_153332.jpg][img=http://s14.postimg.org/70ums2ezx/20141122_153342.jpg][img=http://s14.postimg.org/y2ida254d/20141122_175722.jpg][img=http://s14.postimg.org/qhfcela3x/20141122_175731.jpg]

and bow

[img=http://s14.postimg.org/52nyu2mi5/20141122_153422.jpg]

all packed in original case! At least we think its original!

History :

It was brought from France 50 years agoby my cousins father and it was in his seeller for about that long!

He fogot all about it but last week he found the case when cleaning so he decided to see if its original or not is it worth something or not?

As you see it has engraved back and year 1690!

There are no distinguish features about the year or maker but inside there is inscription on Italian : Carlo Giuseppe Testore in Contrada larga di Milano al segno deir aquila

So that is what we know about it! Smile

Sorry for the quality of the pictures cause they were taken with phone. ill try make better one with a camera

IF you got some info or you know who can help me in this or you got questions please tell, advise and ask!

Thank you in advance!

[/img]
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...Cogito Ergo Sum!

fire035 · Junior Member Joined: 24 Nov 2014 Posts: 6

Anyone????? Sad

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...Cogito Ergo Sum!

FiddleDoug · Member Joined: 08 Sep 2007 Posts: 227 Location: Hilton, NY

I'm far from an expert, but I doubt it's a Testore. If it is, it's been severely defaced, because I don't believe that Testore ever carved the back of his violins. This is quite crudely carved, and questions about this type of instrument come up on forums occasionally.
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Doug Wall

www.wallindependent.com

fire035 · Junior Member Joined: 24 Nov 2014 Posts: 6

Thank you very much! I apressiate the reply because any answer is better than no answer! I found that the logo with shield and sun is like testore but...i havent found any of it in the net!! And im searching day and night! Smile

Do you know someone here who god tell me more?

Any way...thank you again!
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...Cogito Ergo Sum!

FiddleDoug · Member Joined: 08 Sep 2007 Posts: 227 Location: Hilton, NY

You need to take it to a really good luthier, or a shop specializing in violins. Where are you located?
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Doug Wall

www.wallindependent.com

fire035 · Junior Member Joined: 24 Nov 2014 Posts: 6

Serbia
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Ian Deveney · Posted: Wed Nov 26, 2014 3:43 pm Post subject:

I'm new to this, please correct me if I'm wrong. but this looks like something from the turn of the last century where some one has tried to make something look older than it is, apparently it was a craze for a while to try and jazz up violins.

fire035 · Junior Member Joined: 24 Nov 2014 Posts: 6

i realy dont know my friend! We just found it as it is... and everything in this post is all we know about it! We saw one expert for this and he told us simular and he told us that the bow is no good at all...but i started to doubt in him because another one told us that the bow is very good! How to trust? Sad

I realy want to find what is this violine.. a pice of history or as you say someones try to make a scam!

and i hope ill soon find an answer! If not here then maybe on some other place! /

But i thank you all for sharing your opinions that will hopefully leed me to an answer!
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...Cogito Ergo Sum!

Ian Deveney · Posted: Wed Nov 26, 2014 8:23 pm Post subject:

I had a similar situation were I bought a second hand bow and Violin, I was told due to condition that they were not worth much after I had some one look at them and they said some thing's that did not sit easy with me, so I sent them to a reputable auction house for a valuation, it turns out that the bow was a real bow by a French maker and was worth £1200 and the Violin was worth £800. from this I would recommend you send them to a good auction house for valuation then you will know were you stand with them.

Mat Roop · Posted: Thu Nov 27, 2014 8:19 pm Post subject:

I agree with Fiddle Doug... this is likely a "craft "violin and the bow has nickel silver fittings which place it at the low end of the value scale.
Check out these sites:
http://www.ingleshayday.com/valuations/11-selling-and-valuation/13-do-you-simply-want-to-know-how-much-your-instrument-is-worth.html
http://www.skinnerinc.com/news/blog/violin-appraiser-how-to-identify-violin-label/
http://www.amati.com/component/valuations/valuations.html?Itemid=848
Cheers... Mat

Dave Chandler · Posted: Tue Dec 09, 2014 12:11 am Post subject: Testore

The last thing you want to trust is the label. Labels have been counterfeited for hundreds of years and even some very nice old violins have fake labels from when they were new. It looks like it might be a nice playing old fiddle once everything is set back up, but don't bank on the label.
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Dave in the Blue Ridge
Southern Violin Association

"Success is the ability to go from one failure to the next with no loss of enthusiasm" Winston Churchill

"I took the road less travelled, and now I don't know where I am." Marco Polo