Violin Forum/Message Board

[actonern]

I was wondering if the prices of new work had been affected over the years, especially as the prices of old golden period instruments has been rising so rapidly.

I know, for example, that Otto Erdesz used to sell his violas in the mid 70s for about $7,000.00. Adjusted for inflation, that's about $27,000.00 today, which seems to be at the upper level of prices for new work by established makers.

Any thoughts?

E

[kjb]

I can only tell you what I heard from a class, I won't mention the makers But you could probably find these prices with the makers online if you wanted.

top about 70
then 50's
then it seemed to go to 20's and then below.
the lowest I heard was about 10 thousand

[actonern]

What I guess I'm asking is if there's a sense that the price of new work has moved up, adjusted for inflation, with the rapidly rising prices of golden period instruments?

E

[kjb]

again this is just listening in on more experienced people

the prices are going up but not at the same rate, but yes the whole scale seems to be moving up.
but the golden period are more of antique/investment value kind of like the stock market

you could probably go to some of the violin auction houses and they list the makers and the prices, from that you could see what they were and what the living makers are selling them for now..

[MANFIO]

Otto Erdesz lived in the mid 70s, the world was very different, there was more money for Schools, Orchestras, the number of makers was much smaller, competition was not all that tough as today, America was richer.

So I think it is hard to say if Otto Erdesz would be able to ask 27K dollars for his violas today, I think that would not be feasible given today's market. I believe that today's market is more demanding too.

I am in the lower price range and have no intention of raising my prices. You can raise your prices when you have a long waiting list, which is not my case.

The market for new instruments is different of that of the old ones.
_________________
www.manfio.com

http://www.flickr.com/photos/7875988@N02/with/464604020/

[kjb]

new record set, my numbers were way off it looks like


http://thestrad.com/latest/news/guarneri-del-ges-copy-breaks-auction-record-for-contemporary-maker

[Michael Darnton]

Over time, I think of pricing as like pulling upwards on a slinky--if you pull up the upper coils, there's a lot of separation at the top, less in the middle, and still some, but much less, at the bottom.
_________________
new blog at my site! http://darntonviolins.com/blog
my work sites: http://darntonviolins.com and http://darntonhersh.com

[kjb]

sounds like the american class struggle

[Michael Darnton]

No, in America the slinky is broken, and 98% of it is dead on the ground, the other 2% flying around in private jets, no longer being required to slink.
_________________
new blog at my site! http://darntonviolins.com/blog
my work sites: http://darntonviolins.com and http://darntonhersh.com

[williamwalsman]

Michael, well said. I know very little about the value of a new violin except for this. As a player and maker of 5 years, and I assume we are selling instruments to good musicians, it is all about how the violin responds/ handles/ sounds in the hands of someone who can make it sing. No question the craftsmanship needs to be stellar and all the critical dimensions adhered too, but in my opinion it doesn't have to be perfect to be valuable. I have played dozens of expensive, exquisitely crafted (15k and up) modern instruments that I wouldn't buy if I had the money. On the other hand I've played a few 20 k plus violins that I would pay $50,000 if I had it and that's what it took to get the deal done. There are so many poor sounding unresponsive expensive instruments out there. I believe it is our job (makers of much less experience than Michael and others) to make responsive, vibrant playable instruments somewhere in the middle quadrants of the warmth/bright spectrum for serious students desiring a violin worthy of their talent. Professional and beginner violinist have it easy. A professional can afford the best that Michael or the top tier contemporary makers have to offer. Or a priceless antique. Beginners have factory violins. Serious students of modest means are often lost and stuck between their upgraded, outdated "student model" and the mostly uninspiring "affordable" instruments so commonly found in shops today. Our job as earnest intermediate makers is to make instruments that are more than up to the challenge of these players. First provide the inspiration, then set a price worthy of your time.