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Notable Sales

Brothers Amati viola

Tarisio’s second auction featured a 1616 Antonius and Hieronymus Amati viola, previously part of the Curtis Collection and with a provenance traceable back to the early 19th century, when Luigi Tarisio brought it to Paris. Its sale for $775,500 was not just an auction record for a Brothers Amati, it was also the highest price for a viola of any kind and for any instrument by a member of the Amati family.

Kubelík Stradivari violin

This 1687 Stradivari violin was given to the Czech soloist Jan Kubelík by a wealthy English patroness, who had inherited her fortune from the family biscuit-making business. It was used by Kubelík until he acquired the Emperor Stradivari violin of 1715. Sold by the University of California Berkeley in the May 2003 auction to benefit their music department, it fetched $949,500, which at the time was a world record for a pre-1700 period Stradivari violin.

Omobono Stradivari violin

An extremely rare example of the work of Stradivari’s son, this violin from c.1740 has a poplar back and a fine tone quality. It was sold in the October 2005 auction for $370,000.

François Xavier Tourte bows

The two Tourte cello bows sold by Tarisio in October 2006 and February 2007 are an exceptionally fine pair. They were made by François Xavier Tourte (the Stradivari of the bow) in the early 19th century and were probably purchased directly from him by the German cellist and composer Bernhard Romberg. They then shared an extraordinary unbroken provenance, passing from Romberg to the Italian cellist Alfredo Piatti and then to Piatti’s pupil, Robert von Mendelssohn (cousin of the composer Felix Mendelssohn). In the 20th century they were owned by Edmund Kurtz, principal cellist of the Chicago Symphony. The bows both sold for world record prices – the first made $196,000, while the second just beat this, fetching £101,000 ($202,000).

Isaac Stern collection

After the death of Isaac Stern in 2001, his estate decided to sell his entire collection of instruments, bows and musical ephemera through Tarisio. The sale, held in May 2003, attracted huge interest from bidders around the world eager to obtain items connected with the legendary New York violinist. Among the many world record prices seen in the sale was an astonishing $130,000 paid for a modern copy of one of Stern’s Guarneri violins by Brooklyn maker Samuel Zygmantowicz. Also sold were nearly 30 bows including examples by Tourte ($43,125), Peccatte ($40,250) and Sartory ($37,375). Other items includes books from Stern’s private collection and correspondence, inscribed photographs, 19th-century presentation violin cases and even his humidor. Overall the items brought in $2.3m, helping to make the sale at the time overall the second highest grossing violin auction of any auction house.

Arthur Toman collection

This collection of wood, tools, models and materials from the important new England luthier Art Toman was sold in October 2004. A highly popular sale, it included a large selection of Aubert bridges from the 1950s and seasoned tonewood from Europe and North America. The proceeds benefited several charities.

Brothers Grancino viola

Made by Giovanni and Francesco Grancino in c.1680 and in superb condition, this instrument was sold in November 2000 for $286,000.

David Tecchler cello

In November 2005 Tarisio sold a 1703 David Tecchler cello for $267,500, beating another Tecchler cello, dated 1717, that Tarisio sold in the November 2000 sale for $242,000.

 

Notable Instrument Sales by Tarisio (* indicates World auction record)

Antonio Stradivari Violin $949,500 Lot 363 May 2003
Antonio & Girolamo Amati* Viola $775,500 Lot 1 May 2000
Girolamo Amati II* Cello $388,500 Lot 412 May 2005
Antonio Stradivari Violin $370,000 Lot 509 November 2005
Giovanni Battista Guadagnini Violin $355,500 Lot 508 November 2005
Giovanni & Francesco Grancino* Viola $286,000 Lot IVC1 November 2000
David Tecchler Cello $267,500 Lot 421 November 2005
Giovanni Battista Guadagnini Violin $264,000 Lot 1 May 2000
David Tecchler Cello $242,000 Lot IVC5 November 2000
Carlo Ferdinando Landolfi* Violin $241,000 Lot 494 November 2006
Andrea Guarneri* Violin $241,000 Lot 495 November 2006
Giovanni Francesco Pressenda Violin $210,750 Lot l1 June 2002
Giuseppe Antonio Rocca* Violin £145,000 Lot 235 October 2008
Nicolo Amati Violin £117,500 Lot 209 February 2007
Lorenzo Storioni Violin £105,328 Lot 208 February 2007
Gennaro Gagliano* Violin $207,000 Lot 491 November 2006
Lorenzo Storioni* Violin £102,884 Lot 208 March 2007
Carlo Giuseppe Testore Cello $190,500 Lot 422 November 2005
Giovanni Grancino* Violin $187,200 Lot 513 October 2007
Nicolo Amati Violin $187,000 Lot IV1 May 2001
Camillo Camilli* Violin $172,500 Lot 504 May 2006
Jean Baptiste Vuillaume Cello £90,000 Lot 47 February 2007
Giovanni Francesco Pressenda Violin £90,000 Lot 207 February 2007
Giuseppe Antonio Rocca Violin $169,650 Lot 380 May 2009
Alessandro Gagliano Violin $169,650 Lot 503 October 2007
Camillo Camilli Violin $168,500 Lot 504 May 2006
Lorenzo Storioni* Violin $155,250 Lot 420 May 2007
Lorenzo Storioni Violin $154,000 Lot i1 October 2002
Tomasso Balestrieri Violin £76,050 Lot 218 March 2008
Lorenzo Storioni Viola $146,250 Lot 491 October 2007
Alessandro Gagliano Violin $145,000 Lot 493 October 2006
Jean Baptiste Vuillaume Violin $141,000 Lot 147 May 2003
Camillo Camilli Violin $140,400 Lot 515 October 2007
Michele Platner* Cello $138,000 Lot 141 May 2006
Alessandro Mezzadri Violin $134,550 Lot 510 October 2007
Francesco Ruggeri Violin $130,000 Lot 760 October 2004
Samuel Zygmuntowicz* Violin $130,000 Lot 144 May 2003
Alessandro Mezzadri* Violin $134,550 Lot 510 October 2007
Giovanni Battista Rogeri* Violin $122,850 Lot 512 October 2007
Michele Deconet Viola £62,500 Lot 17 February 2007
Jean Baptiste Vuillaume Violin $117,000 Lot 306 May 2008
Lorenzo Ventapane* Violin £55,575 Lot 221 March 2009
Antonio Zanotti* Violin £55,575 Lot 139 March 2008
Carlo Antonio Testore* Violin £52,650 Lot 216 March 2008
Jean Baptiste Vuillaume Violin $105,300 Lot 505 October 2007
Nicolas Lupot Violin $102,500 Lot 759 October 2004
Giovanni Francesco Pressenda Violin $102,500 Lot 436 May 2004
Ferdinand Gagliano Violin $101,000 Lot 437 May 2004
Ferdiand Gagliano Violin $97,750 Lot 406 May 2007
Giovanni Battista Ceruti* Violin $92,000 Lot 407 May 2007
Carlo Antonio Testore Violin $90,000 Lot iv3 October 2002
Jean Baptiste Vuillaume Violin $88,750 Lot 758 October 2004
Carlo Antonio Testore Violin $86,000 Lot 438 May 2004
Gennaro Gagliano Violin $84,825 Lot 501 October 2007
Stefano Scarampella* Violin $83,250 Lot 362 May 2005
Giovanni Grancino Violin $83,250 Lot 774 October 2004
Nicolo Gagliano Violin $81,900 Lot 502 October 2007
Anselmo Bellosio* Violin $78,750 Lot i4 June 2002
Ferdinando Garimberti* Violin £40,950 Lot 219 March 2009
Francesco Maurizzi* Violin $74,750 Lot 478 November 2006
Annibale Fagnola Violin $74,750 Lot 500 May 2006
Paolo Castello* Violin $73,125 Lot 511 October 2007
Michele Platner* Violin $73,125 Lot IV1 November 2001
Giovanni Battista Ceruti Violin $73,125 Lot IV3 May 2001
Paolo Antonio Testore* Violin $71,875 Lot 486 November 2006
Annibale Fagnola Violin $71,875 Lot 405 May 2007
Simone Fernando Sacconi* Violin $70,200 Lot 380 May 2009

 

Notable Bow Sales by Tarisio (* indicates World auction record)

Francois Xavier Tourte * Cello Bow $201,250 Lot 471 November 2006
Francois Xavier Tourte Cello Bow £103,500 Lot 37 March 2007
Francois Xavier Tourte Violin Bow $102,500 Lot 140 May 2003
Jean Adam “Grand Adam”* Violin Bow $61,425 Lot 537 October 2007
Dominique Peccatte* Cello Bow $55,000 Lot FB37 November 2000
Nicolaus Kittel* Violin Bow £23,400 Lot 58 March 2008
Charles Tourte “Tourte T” Violin Bow $43,125 Lot 353 May 2003
Joseph Henry * Violin Bow $40,950 Lot 183 May 2009
Etienne Pajeot* Violin Bow $40,250 Lot 139 May 2003
Dominique Peccatte Violin Bow $40,250 Lot 364 May 2003
Eugéne Nicolas Sartory* Viola Bow $37,375 Lot 138 May 2003
Francois Nicolas Voirin Violin bow $31,625 Lot 137 May 2003
François Lupot* Violin Bow $28,750 Lot 467 November 2006
Carmine D’Aguannno* Violin Bow $28,750 Lot 256 May 2005
Nicholas Maline* Violin Bow $28,080 Lot 182 May 2009
Nicolas Maire* Violin Bow $26,910 Lot 485 October 2007
Joseph Henry Violin Bow $25,300 Lot 351 May 2003
Jean Joseph Martin* Violin Bow $24,400 Lot 180 May 2009
Eugene Sartory* Violin Bow $21,850 Lot 106 May 2007
Eugene Sartory* Cello Bow $21,850 Lot 197 May 2007
James Tubbs* Violin Bow £11,115 Lot 60 March 2008
Jean Adam “Grand Adam” Violin Bow $20,757 Lot 106 May 2003
Alfred Lamy* Violin Bow $20,700 Lot 463 November 2005
Nicolas Maline Violin Bow $20,700 Lot 136 May 2003
W. E. Hill & Sons* Violin Bow £9,945 Lot 104 March 2009
George Schwartz* Violin Bow $14,950 Lot 109 May 2007
Joseph Arthur Vigneron* Violin Bow $14,950 Lot 384 May 2004
Emile Auguste Ouchard* Violin Bow $14,040 Lot 480 October 2007
Jean Joseph Martin* Cello Bow $14,040 Lot 275 October 2008
Joseph René Lafleur* Viola Bow $13,800 Lot 155 May 2006
Émile Auguste Ouchard* Viola Bow $10,350 Lot 274 October 2003
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