LORAND FENYVES STRADIVARI SELLS FOR $1.46 MILLION
AT SKINNER AUCTION
Two Lots within 10 Minutes of Each Other
Garner over $2 Million at Record-breaking Sale
BOSTON, Mass. - October 27, 2006
-
www.skinnerinc.com - A previously undocumented violin by Antonio Stradivari topped a record-breaking auction of fine musical instruments at Skinner on October 15th. There was significant interest in the violin by players who had tried it and coveted it for its beautiful sound. There was also very strong interest from those who recognized the rarity of it as an uncatalogued Golden Period Strad and the fact that it had been conserved and not restored. "In the end," said department director David Bonsey, "it came down to its acoustic quality, which is still quite flexible as it hasn't been played particularly aggressively. Its sound is quite malleable, and very capable of being gently shaded and shaped to the performer's ideal."
Made in Cremona Italy, c.1720, the violin (lot 38) may have been the last in existence from the maker's so-called "Golden Period" which had not been catalogued or published in violin literature. The instrument had not been in circulation for over a century and had never been offered on the open market.
Throughout much of the late 17th/early 18th century, Antonio Stradivari was perhaps the best known and most highly esteemed violin maker in the world. Stradivari's "Golden Period" violins date from 1700 to around 1720. At that time, Stradivari was at the height of his success as a violinmaker to royal courts all over Europe. His instruments from this period were made using the finest materials, the most successful design for sound projection, and the most beautiful workmanship of all Stradivari violins. Stradivari's reputation and his works have stood the test of time. Today, instruments made by his hand are arguably the finest made and most highly sought after instruments in the world.
Preceding the Strad sale by only minutes was lot 31, perhaps the biggest surprise of the afternoon. The 1958/63 Gibson Explorer Guitar realized $611,000, the largest auction price ever paid for an non-celebrity owned American-made musical instrument. Notes Bonsey, "It turns out that it may be one of the few really great ones in existence – it's made from beautiful African Limba wood, whose trade name is ‘Korina'. It's extremely difficult to work and to make other parts adhere. The collectibility of the instrument is based on rarity (there were 200 Sunburst Les Paul guitars for every one of these) and the fact that these guitars play and sound wonderful. And, despite their angular design, they are not uncomfortable."
Explorer guitars were not commercially successful when they were first introduced in 1958 (following Sputnik). But, resurrected using the necks and bodies from the factory's inventory in 1963, combined with later electronics, the guitars met with great success when they were re-introduced following the successful American launch of Mercury rockets. They have now become extremely sought-after instruments.
Other Stringed Instruments and Bows
Skinner achieved its usual impressive sale rate, selling 90% of all the lots offered, grossing $3,430,776 and setting eight significant world record prices in the process. Record-breaking violins included a Neapolitan violin by later members of the Gagliano Family, Raffaele and Antonio (lot 102), that fetched $82,250, nearly tripling a previous world record. Also included was an Irish violin by Thomas Perry and William Wilkinson of Dublin (lot 73) that brought a record $9,400. A modern Italian violin by Pietro Borghi (lot 109) doubled a previous world record, bringing $16,450. Other modern examples featured two from the Turin School, a violin by Enrico Marchetti, 1893 (lot 35) that sold for $23,500, and a violin by Enrico Melegari, 1892 (lot 37) that realized $38,188. Hungarian violins by the best known Budapest school are just starting to find their level in American markets. A 1905 example by Dezso Barany (lot 100), a famous imitator of old Italian violins, brought $14,100 at the sale.
The bow market was hot, with only four bows out of nearly 100 going unsold. Highlights included a fine violin bow by Joaseph Henry (lot 42), once the property of Lorand Fenyves, that brought $45,825, a world record for the French maker who worked with Domenique Peccatte. Lot 80, a fine viola bow by Nicolas Maire, brought a record $16,450. Also included was lot 136, a fine French violin bow, catalogued at $6,000-8,000 as "School of F. X. Tourte," that brought $61,687 on speculation that it was genuine.
Upcoming Auction Information
Skinner is currently accepting consignments for its next auction of fine musical instruments, which will be held in Boston in May 2007. Prices realized at the October 15th auction are available at www.skinnerinc.com. For more information, visit Skinner's website at www.skinnerinc.com. Skinner's site also allows users to view all lots in the auctions, leave bids, and order catalogues online.
###
About Skinner
Skinner, Inc. is one of the nation's leading auction houses for antiques and fine art and the only major auction house headquartered in New England. With expertise in over 20 specialty collecting areas, Skinner draws the interest of buyers from all over the world and its auctions regularly achieve world record prices. Skinner provides a broad range of auction and appraisal services, and it is widely regarded as one of the most trusted names in the auction business. Skinner's appraisal experts regularly appear on the PBS-TV series, Antiques Roadshow, and its specialty 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 & Ethnographic Art, and Discovery. Skinner galleries are located in Boston and Bolton, Mass. For more information on upcoming auctions and events, visit Skinner's web site
www.skinnerinc.com.
