In 1971 Stradivari's 1721 "Lady Blunt" violin sold at a Sotheby's auction for a then record-shattering $200,000; it was recently resold through a dealer to the Nippon Music Foundation for nearly $10M. In 2003 the "Carrodus" Guarneri was purchased $4.5M; four years later it was sold for $7M. The "Kochanski" Guarneri violin recently sold for $10M, and the asking price of the "Vieuxtemps" is reportedly $18M. These prices reflect an upward trend that has been unaffected by the recent "credit crunch" and the 2008 stock market crash. As in previous economic downturns, violins have proven to be an excellent hedge, though unlike some high-end collectibles, violins are resistant to fads and changing fashions--they have been one of the mainstays of Western culture for the past 500  years.

Directed by Stewart Pollens, one of the world’s leading musical instrument conservators and violin authorities, Violin Advisor, LLC is an independent consulting firm that advises musicians, collectors, institutions, and investors on the acquisition of fine stringed instruments. We physically examine instruments - and supporting documentation - being offered by the principal dealers, private sellers, and major auction houses in order to assist our clients in avoiding fakes and misattributed instruments, along with those having serious or undisclosed condition problems or poor playing characteristics.

In recent years, the market has been inundated with fraudulent scientific reports and counterfeit certificates. Violin Advisor, LLC evaluates all reports and documentation and may conduct its own tests to determine an instrument's age and authenticity.

We offer a range of services that includes:

• Authentication and appraisal

• Instrument selection for musicians, investors, collectors, and institutions

• Condition and damage reports for appraisals and insurance claims

• Scientific dating and material analysis

• Technical documentation and photography for certificates and publication

• Conservation

• Collection management

• Investment enhancement through public relations, publication, and loan of instruments to distinguished soloists, orchestras, and non-profit institutions such as conservatories and museums

Would you pay over $10,000,000 for this violin?

The "Messiah" has long been  considered the finest and best preserved of Stradivari's violins, yet in 1999 Stewart Pollens  examined this famous relic in the Ashmolean Museum and discovered evidence disproving the provenance that supposedly linked it to Stradivari's workshop. He also discovered  that a critical inscription it bears is a forgery and that the instrument exhibits a number of stylistic anomalies.   Dendrochronology proved that  the  tree from which the top was made was not cut down until after Stradivari's death!