Hello,

I am looking to get my cello (bought for 12,000e) valued when I'm in London- I want someone honest, reliable, respected and reasonable (I don't ask for much, do I?!)I have heard about J and A Beares, but am wondering if they would laugh me out of the shop with an instrument of such comparatively 'low' value? Any recommendations?
Thanks,
M

Anyone who laughs at you because you didn't pay a million euro for your cello is not a professional at all, but a pretensious imbecile who feels better about themselves by fawning over rich people and their belongings.

There, that feels better !

I don't imagine an established company like Beare's would laugh at you at all.

Beare's wouldn't laugh, but a Beare's valuation/certificate on an instrument in this price range is pointless and probably not cost effective. Somewhere like Phelps would be a better bet.

Try J P Guivier in Mortimer Street. Centrally located near Oxford Circus tube station and therefore easier to get to than Phelps, they are honest, reliable, respected, known within the violin dealing fraternity and won't charge you and arm and leg for the valuation.

Why do you want the cello valued? Insurance, to check that it's worth what you paid for it, or because you suspect it might be worth more than you paid?
This will have some bearing on where you should go.

Insurance purposes. Thanks for your replies, you have been most helpful As I'm on a flying visit, I will probably try Guivers ,as they are so central. Unless of course anyone would recommend otherwise?
I rang the Royal academy and they recommended Beares, but they are very busy and can't see me till next week.

If it's for insurance purposes, then the original bill should be more than sufficient (at least it would be in France, don't know about UK legislation).

The biggest of the specialist musical instrument insurers usually want a valuation certificate from a reputable place if the instrument is worth more than a certain number of thousands.

I second the recommendation for Guiviers if you're in London - they sold me a very nice viola last year and are friendly and unpretentious. Worth phoning or emailing them before you go though so that they have the right person ready to write up the description properly.

Anything insured for 5k or above, I believe. You can insure it for your chosen amount in advance, pending a written valuation.

I bought a gold-mounted violin bow from them a few years back and my Charles Buthod cello came to me via Guivier too. I recommend them highly for honest valuations, a huge selection of instruments/bows to suit all tastes and budgets, friendly staff, genuinely no pressure to purchase, flexible on the time you can keep bows/instruments on approaval, and, for a central London dealer their prices are very good too.

The dealer I (and many of my colleagues) avoid these days is one located in the Ealing area....

[quote name='AmandaL' date='Jan 13 2009, 09:42 AM' post='779010']


[quote]

The dealer I (and many of my colleagues) avoid these days is one located in the Ealing area....
[/quote]

I know the one...

Ah I didn't realise that was the case in the UK. In France, you purchase your instrument from an instrument maker (there aren't really any shops per se - it's all luthiers selling instruments they have made or renovated), so the bill is considered sufficiently expert for the insurance companies.

That's interesting. Doesn't it run the risk of some makers overpricing/overvaluing their instruments? It certainly does with modern Italian violins.

What about the sale of antique instruments, are there no shops for those alone?

Valuations of contemporary instruments/bows are almost always based on what the maker is currently charging, even when done independently. Exceptions would be where the maker is new/unknown.
Also, British Reserve/Allianz accept valuations from any of their agents. Doesn't need to be a particularly fancy shop, your local violin dealer will almost certainly be OK.

PS. There were plenty of violin dealers in Paris last time I was there!

Not outside of Paris, I shouldn't think. Most places are family run shops, owned by a luthier who has at least restored the instruments he's selling. He will have a diplome d'état as well as his lutherie school diploma and will most likely have medals from the government for various bits of sterling work - all this kind of gives him 'official' respectability - craftsmen are still very much respected here (in my old street there were three cabinet makers, a violin maker, a sculptor and a tailor - all small, locally run places - they can only survive, to be honest, because the government sets so much store by them)