Listen up! Antique musical instruments go on sale in Massachusetts

In a little over a week's time, Skinner's October auction of Fine Musical Instruments will get underway, headed by some very different instruments from the string section.

The sale will feature fine Italian violins by Gagliano, Sannino, Cavani, Marchetti, Pollastri, Carcassi and Pedrazzini, fine bows by Voirin, Henry, Hill, Tubbs, Nurnberger and Fetique, and vintage guitars by Gibson, Martin, Fender and Rickenbacker. 

Some of the highlights include:

A violin from a modern master - the instrument created by Gaetano Pollastri of Bologna at the end of the Second World War in 1945 is estimated at $30,000-34,000.

A truly modern instrument, however, is an American Electric Guitar, (Gibson Incorporated, Kalamazoo, 1957, Model Les Paul). Very clean, with no greening of gold paint, the instrument comes with its original case, and is expected to fetch $60,000-80,000.

There is even a 1928 vintage banjo from Gibson Incorporated, listed at $8,000-12,000.

Also on the block will be over 150 lots of select raw maple, spruce, ebony and pernambuco, circa 1920-1950, and over 100 lots of signed and unsigned photos and cabinet cards from string players circa 1860-1980. 

antique violin


The expected top lot is another Italian violin: a 1760 piece from Gennaro Gagliano of Naples. Still bearing the maker's original label which reads JANUARIUS GAGLIANO FILIUS, ALEXANDRI FECIT NEAP 1760, the fine antique is valued at $70,000-100,000.

Skinner has hosted specialty auctions in this premier collecting category since 1987, some of the more recent ones covered on this site, and has achieved world record prices for vintage guitars, mandolins, rare violins, and bows.

The auction takes place on October 8-10 in Massachusetts.

 

 

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