Auction PR Publicity Announcements News and Information
Auction PR Publicity Announcements News and Information

Skinner, Inc. to host auction of Fine Musical Instruments on Sunday, October 14

BOSTON, Mass. – Skinner, Inc. will host an auction of Fine Musical Instruments on Sunday, October 14th in its Boston gallery. The sale offers more than 350 lots of fretted and bowed stringed instruments including guitars, violins, violas, cellos, and bows.

Italian Violin, Enrico Rocca, Genoa, 1898, bearing the maker’s label, length of back 355 mm.

Vintage Guitars and Mandolins
The fretted instrument selection at the October sale features four vintage Martin acoustic guitars, including decorated parlor size guitars: a 1892 C.F. Martin 0-28 (lot 15, estimated between $3,000 and $5,000) and a C.F. Martin 2-42 guitar with an ebony and snowflake-pattern inlay fretboard (lot 18, $3,500 to $5,000). Large body styles from the 1930s include a 1938 C.F. Martin D-18 guitar (lot 17, $12,000 to $18,000) and a 1934 C.F. Martin 000-18 guitar with the original case (lot 16, $6,000 to $8,000).

A 1934 flamenco guitar by, Santos Hernandez, a celebrated Spanish maker (lot 19, $20,000 to $30,000) will be offered. This instrument descended through the family of the original owner and comes with its original case.

A Gibson master model mandolin, style F5, signed and dated by Lloyd Loar on June 13, 1923 (lot 26, $70,000 to $90,000) will be sold. The mandolin has been in private hands for over 50 years and is a fresh and perfect example of the most desirable mandolin in bluegrass and popular music circles.

There is also a fine selection of vintage Gibson guitars, including wartime jumbo acoustics, flat top and arched top guitars, and Les Paul electric guitars from 1954 through 1959. Outstanding among these is a 1956 Les Paul Junior “TV” model with its original matching amplifier (lot 31, $8,000 to $12,000). These instruments were given a special “limed mahogany” finish formulated to show up well on black and white TV sets. The outfit is in mint condition and perfect working order. It includes the original case, strap, sheet music, and student lesson record.

Italian Violins
Among the fine selection of professional-quality Italian violins offered is a violin from the school of Lorenzo Storioni, circa 1800, in very fine condition with a W.E. Hill & Sons certificate (lot 47, $65,000 to $85,000). A fine violin by Cremonese master Romeo Antoniazzi, a Stradivari model from 1914, with a certificate from William Moennig & Son (lot 50, $20,000 to $30,000) will also be offered. It was the principle instrument of a professional orchestral player for decades.

Also offered is a violin by Genoese maker Enrico Rocca (lot 55, $60,000 to $80,000), recently restored by Carl Becker of Chicago, and a violin in the style of Guarneri del Gesu by America’s most esteemed maker, George Gemunder, dating from circa 1880 (lot 56, $16,000 to $20,000). Rounding out the collection of fine violins is an example by Tomasso Eberle of Naples from 1778 (lot 62, $37,500 to $45,000).

Bows
A collection of over 100 bows includes an excellent Violoncello bow by Emile A. Ouchard from 1950. It is in very fine, nearly unplayed condition, with all of its original fittings (lot 194, $8,000 to $12,000). Bows by Fetique, Lenoble, Knopf, Sartory, and Hill will also be sold.

Cellos
A very fine Viennese cello by Johann Christoph Leidolff (lot 65, $10,000 to $12,000) is accompanied by a Hans Weisshar & Son certificate from 1994, and an Italian cello c. 1766 (lot 66, $9,000 to $12,000) will also be offered.

Previews, Events, Catalogue, and Bidding
Previews for the auction will be held on Friday, October 12, 2012, 12 p.m.-7 p.m. and Saturday, October 13, 2012, 10:30 a.m.-5 p.m., and Sunday, October 14, 2012, 9 a.m.-10:00 a.m.

Illustrated catalogue #2617B is available by mail from the subscription department at #508-970-3240. It is also available at the gallery. Prices realized will be available at www.skinnerinc.com during and after the sale. Skinner’s site also allows users to view all lots in the auctions, leave bids, order catalogues, and bid live in real-time through SkinnerLive!