Posted by stephan on January 10, 2003 at 09:06:57:
In Reply to: Joseph Klotz Violins posted by Flo on September 26, 2002 at 08:33:37:
we have an immaculate klotz from the 1700's that is valued at $4000 to $6000. the klotz family made good german violins, but certainly nothing to compare with the italian masters. if you have a bow from the same period, it could well be worth more than the violin! the first thing you need to do is have the violin authenticated (there are lots of fakes) and appraised. i have found one of the best sources for REPUTABLE appraisers to be the music departments of major colleges or universities in the area. in the event you might have a valuable antique, there are some things you need to do to preserve its value. store the violin with a bit of rice inside it's belly to help control humidity. it is easily shaken out and presents no harm to the instrument. store it where it does not receive large temperature variables. most importantly, see that it is played. a stagnant violin loses its tone and no matter how beautiful an instrument looks, the ultimate value will be determined by the quality of the sound it produces.