| Press Contact: | Catherine Riedell | David Bonsey, Director |
| Director of Marketing | Fine Musical Instruments | |
| Skinner, Inc | Skinner, Inc | |
|
978-779-6341, x231 |
978-779-6241 ext. 224 |
SKINNER TO OFFER FINE MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS
OCTOBER 19TH IN BOSTON
Featuring Items from the Estate of Stephen Kates
Silver Medalist at the 1966 Tchaikovsky Competition
BOSTON, Mass. - September 17, 2003 – www.skinnerinc.com - Skinner, one of the nation's leading auction houses, will host an auction of fine musical instruments in Boston on October 19, 2003 at 12 noon. The auction house has traditionally presented a broad and varied selection for musicians of stringed and fretted instruments alike, and this October sale is no different. Of particular interest to violinists and cellists will be pieces from the Estate of Stephen Kates, Silver Medalist at the 1966 Tchaikovsky Competition. Says department director, David Bonsey, "This sale represents, including items from the Kates Estate, perhaps the finest offering of bows at Skinner in a very long time."
The Estate of Stephen Kates
Stephen Kates was one of America's most respected cello pedagogues and an admired soloist and chamber musician. In addition to regular international appearances, he played with most of America's major orchestras, and was professor of cello at the Peabody Conservatory at John Hopkins University for more than 30 years. His former Peabody students include cellists Carter Brey of the New York Philharmonic, David Hardy of the National Symphony Orchestra, and James Wilson of the Shanghai String Quartet. His distinguished career included performances for noted dignitaries and heads of state, among them three performances at the White House for Presidents Johnson, Carter, and Reagan.
Throughout his life, Kates exercised a passion for collecting fine instruments and bows, and actively sought those with fine playing qualities, including his personal concert bow, a François Tourte made c. 1810. Commenting on the diverse offerings, Bonsey noted, "This auction provides a rare opportunity for musicians to own and to play these very fine instruments by important makers. But more than that, proceeds from the estate will help endow the scholarship in Stephen's name at The Peabody Conservatory."
Items from the Kates Estate include several fine old English cello bows from the shops of W.E. Hill & Sons and James Tubbs, certified French bows by François Lupot, Jean Dominique Adam, a cello bow by Francois Xavier Tourte, c. 1810 (the ex-Francomme), and a cello bow from the shop of J.B. Vuillaume, attributed to Joseph Henry, mounted in tortoiseshell and in excellent condition. Also featured is a superb sounding French cello in fine condition, ascribed to Didier Nicholas c. 1850 (lot 23), an instrument that, according to Bonsey, Kates particularly loved to play in performances.
Violins
From other properties, the auction offers two elegant late Cremonese violins. The first of these is a violin dating to c. 1810 by Giovanni Battista Ceruti ($125/170,000) with a one-piece back of bold figure, all original, and certified by Rembert Wurlitzer in 1963. The other, a Nicola Bergonzi made c. 1780 ($80/100,000), has a back and ribs of native Italian maple and a rare one-piece top, certified by J. & A. Beare in 2001. Both instruments have been played professionally throughout the 20th century. Other outstanding violins include a Joseph and Antonio Gagliano, Naples, c. 1790 ($60/90,000), the top and back with original surface, neither polished nor overcoated; and a violin by Pietro Antonio Landolfi with plentiful golden varnish, restored in Paris at the workshop of Emil Français in 1956. The four violins, beginning with the Landolfi and ending with the Ceruti, represent the apex of a golden era of Italian violinmaking in the late18th and early 19th centuries.
Violoncellos and Bows
The auction features other extraordinary stringed instruments, as well. Most notable of these is a very fine cello in near mint condition crafted by Enrico Marchetti of Turin in 1912, with a striking one-piece back of flamed poplar. Bows for violin include excellent examples by Nicolas Maline, Joseph Lamy, James Tubbs, Sartory, Thomassin, and Vigneron. Other cello bows include works by Sartory, Vigneron, Hoyer, and Dodd.
Fretted Instruments
Those seeking fretted instruments also will find rare and unusual options. A 1927 Gibson Mastertone F-5 mandolin is in excellent to mint condition. Additional highlights include a National Steel Tricone Style 3 guitar from 1929, and a 1982 Martin Custom flat top guitar crafted for the firm's 150th anniversary, signed by C.F. Martin III and IV.
Catalogue and Preview Information
Previews for the auction will be 12 to 5 p.m. Friday, October 17, 10:30 a.m.
to 5 p.m. Saturday, October 18, and 9 to 10:30 a.m. Sunday, October 19. Illustrated
catalog #2214 is available by mail for $29 ($35 for foreign requests) from the
subscription department at 978-779-6241 x240. It is also available at the gallery
for $26. Prices realized will be available at www.skinnerinc.com during and
after the sale. For more information, call 978-779-6241, or visit www.skinnerinc.com.
Note to Editors: Photos available upon request. Contact Catherine Riedel at 978-779-6241 x 231.
About Skinner:With galleries in Boston and Bolton, Mass., Skinner is a full-service auctioneer and appraiser of antiques and fine art. Regularly seen on the PBS series, Antiques Roadshow, Skinner is one of the nation’s leading auction houses. Skinner conducts auctions year-round and has received world-record prices for many pieces sold at auction. Departments include American Furniture & Decorative Arts, Paintings & Prints, English & Continental Furniture & Decorations, Fine Ceramics, Jewelry, Couture, 20th Century Furniture & Decorative Arts, Fine Musical Instruments, Asian Art, Fine Judaica, Toys, Dolls & Collectibles, Science & Technology, Oriental Rugs & Carpets, American Indian & Ethnographica, and Discovery. For more information on upcoming auctions, visit Skinner’s web site www.skinnerinc.com.