Attribution

[Ken Smith]

All I could look up here for Gand Snr. was one from 1994 for almost $56k U$D. I think you have the correct price. All things being considered within the current condition of the Gand Cello. Here in the States two people/places I know charges 4% of the value, not 10%. If that's the case then have him fly over here and save some money. I think 30-100GBP's seems within the ballpark for a top French Cello.

[Ken Smith]

Originally Posted by Ken Smith

All I could look up here for Gand Snr. was one from 1994 for almost $56k U$D. I think you have the correct price. All things being considered within the current condition of the Gand Cello. Here in the States two people/places I know charges 4% of the value, not 10%. If that's the case then have him fly over here and save some money. I think 30-100GBP's seems within the ballpark for a top French Cello.

I looked it up in my Red Book and found two Cellos sold. This one above mentioned and another for about $10k less in 1989. This is Gand Pere'. Any other Gand sold for much less.

[Martin Sheridan]

There is a built in conflict of interest when firms charge a percentage of the value they write.

And thank you Ken for the additions to the auction house terms. I was working from my very fallible memory.

[Matthew Tucker]

Originally Posted by Martin Sheridan

There is a built in conflict of interest when firms charge a percentage of the value they write.

I think depends a little on the purpose of the valuation. The "valuation" amount could be the insurance value, or the estimated sale value, and those values may not be even close. Often a customer will not necessarily want an appraisal, but merely a "valuation" for a certain sum for insurance purposes.

In fact, it could be argued that there is a credibility issue when firms DON'T charge a percentage of the value they write ... it's easy to add a zero to keep a customer happy.

PS violins still all look the same to me ...

[Ken Smith]

I feel the best way is like what's done with the Housing market. Compare the most recent sales of a similar bass in YOUR area and adjust up or down for condition or pedigree. On the top class pedigrees it is more of a world market. Generic shop basses rarely get sold far from where they are. The 'area' mention applies mostly to these type of lower cost instruments.

I have seen though many many basses selling for more than I would ever expect them to go for because of what the dealer marketed it as. This happens when German basses are sold as French, English basses are sold as Italian and antiqued Hungarian basses are sold as modern Italians and so on.

In the high end English Market I have seen the highest prices ever ranging from about 90k to 150k asking or actual sale prices and not all were in the best of condition. Most however were the real deal. To die for basses basically. On the Italians, if you can name it and not get 'shot down' professionally, then the prices again have brought in some record numbers.

Valuations are for the most part Insurance Appraisals. Also, you get the bass identified as close as possible. This will help down the road when selling it IF the Papers hold any weight amongst its peers.