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About Us
Tarisio is the leading international venue for fine instruments and bows. Launched in 1999, Tarisio revolutionized the market by combining first-class expertise, the efficiency of online bidding, and a firm commitment to ethics and professionalism. Our goal is to make buying and selling instruments increasingly accessible for musicians, patrons, dealers and collectors.
With offices in New York, London and Berlin, Tarisio conducts eight auctions per year of fine instruments and bows and year-round bespoke Private Sales of high-value items, selling more than 3,000 fine instruments and bows annually to a truly global market.
New York Auctions → March, June, November
London Auctions → March, October
Berlin Auctions → February, June, October
T2 Auctions → Every two months in New York
Expertise
Tarisio’s internationally renowned expertise is led by Jason Price, Tarisio’s Founder, Director and Expert. Responsible for over 3,000 attributions per year, Jason believes in a conservative and transparent approach to expertise.
Our specialists in New York, London and Berlin, have an unrivaled knowledge of the market, and travel extensively to uncover the finest instruments, ensuring Tarisio’s auctions always have a wide variety of instruments and bows that are fresh to the market.
Services
Evaluations • Sales • Public & Private Viewings • Dendrochronology • Restoration & Sound Adjustments • Photography • Vaulted Storage
Departments

Fine Instrument Auctions
A wide range of high-quality stringed instruments and bows by the finest makers. We also auction books, instrument cases and other related items.
VIEW AUCTIONS
Private Sales
A personalized service for the sale and purchase of the very highest quality items outside the auction arena. Available in New York, London and Berlin.
MORE INFORMATIONTarisio's People
•Directors•


Jason Price
Founder, Expert, Director
Jason studied the cello from an early age and became interested in violin making and restoration while searching for his first serious cello. At the age of 18, he enrolled at Cremona’s school of violin making, but lasted just two weeks there before deciding to study with Renato Scrollavezza in Parma. After living and working in Cremona and Parma for three years and completing nine and a half violins he returned to the US, where he took up a degree in English Literature at Williams College in Massachusetts.
It was towards the end of Jason’s degree course that the idea of starting Tarisio was born, and the company was launched in 1999. In recent years Jason has concentrated on broadening the reach of Tarisio with several initiatives including expanding to London and Berlin and concentrating on higher end instruments through discrete private sales.
Jason is the primary expert for Tarisio’s attributions and believes that a conservative and transparent approach to expertise is the way of the future.
Jason moved to Berlin in September 2021 but visits New York and London once a month. As an avid large-format analog photographer and technology enthusiast Jason enjoys Tarisio’s unique fusion of 18th-century instruments and 21st-century technology and wonders what yesteryear giants like Strad, Vuillaume, and the Hills would say of Tarisio’s new approach to violin sales and expertise.
Read Jason’s Carteggio post, Tarisio turns 15
Read Jason’s introduction to the new Cozio archive.

Carlos Tome
Director, Head of Sales

Carlos Tome
Director, Head of Sales
Carlos Tome oversees all private sales of Tarisio’s New York and London offices. His specialty lies with providing a personalized approach in matching each client to his or her ideal instrument. In addition to private sales, Carlos has played a major role in the critical success of recent auction sales, many of which set world records. In 2015, he became partner at Tarisio.
A native of Madrid, Carlos moved to New York City eighteen years ago and has since worked at several prestigious arts management firms. Having graduated from the Royal Conservatory of Music as a violinist, he possesses a unique and first-hand knowledge of the particular concerns that performers have when searching for instruments. He prioritizes the delivery of a customized experience to each client and understands that every interaction requires a personalized approach.
Carlos loves the diversity of the clientele he works with, whether they be high-profile artists, students, or collectors. He has always been passionate about fine string instruments and bows and enjoys sharing the knowledge and expertise he has garnered while working in the field. He currently serves on Board of Directors of the Orchestra of St. Luke’s and Polyphony Foundation.
Berlin

Martha Woodhams
General Manager & Head of Auctions

Martha Woodhams
General Manager & Head of Auctions
Martha handles the strategic, financial and day-to-day operations for the European offices. With a particular focus on international trade compliance, she helps to ensure smooth worldwide movement of our instruments and bows. Since graduating with a degree in Music from King’s College London in 2017, Martha continues to enjoy performing both as a soloist and in various choral ensembles.

Nicholas Dodds
Sales Associate

Nicholas Dodds
Sales Associate
Since his introduction to the violin at the age of 5, Nicholas has developed a deep-rooted passion for classical music. Nicholas holds a BA in Business Administration and Economics from Zeppelin University, as well as an MSc in Behavioural Economics from The London School of Economics and Political Science. His role at Tarisio encompasses building and maintaining relationships with patrons, collectors, professional musicians and amateurs alike in order to be able to support them in their search for their perfect fine instrument or bow. When Nicholas isn’t at work, you will likely find him cooking unnecessarily complicated meals for his friends and family.

Xiaofu Wang
Photographer

Xiaofu Wang
Photographer
Xiaofu Wang is responsible for Tarisio’s photography in Berlin. She holds a BA in Media Arts and Production from the University of Technology, Sydney. Alongside her work for Tarisio, she does documentary and portrait work. Her images have been published in The Guardian, Le Monde, Arte, NME and Pitchfork.
London

Matthew Huber
Head of Tarisio London

Matthew Huber
Head of Tarisio London
Matthew Huber joined Tarisio’s sales team having developed an interest in fine instruments from a young age. As an active soloist and chamber musician he has studied the cello with many of the world’s most respected pedagogues in Europe and America. His discerning musical ear and knowledge of fine instruments makes him a valuable asset to the firm.
Matthew welcomes the challenge of pairing a player with his or her dream instrument, as well as promoting the internet auction as an honest, transparent and expanding platform throughout Europe. He looks forward to welcoming you to the London office.

Callie Michail
Logistics Coordinator & Cataloguer

Callie Michail
Logistics Coordinator & Cataloguer
Born in Athens to a cellist mother, for the first years of Callie’s life she spent much of her time playing inside cello cases. Since outgrowing cello cases, Callie graduated with an MA in Critical Methodologies, and published her first collection of poetry in September 2018. When not in her role as Logistics Coordinator & Cataloguer, she can be found attending and performing at poetry events around London.

Emily Grant
Client Liaison

Emily Grant
Client Liaison
Emily Grant is the Client Liaison for the London office. Emily began piano at aged nine before quickly moving into composition; the music by Tchaikovsky, Rachmaninoff and Saint-Saëns are particular favourites. She holds a BMus from the University of Aberdeen specialising in Orientalism in Western opera before spending a year in Hong Kong studying Chinese theatrical and operatic arts. She has just finished an MA in Arts and Cultural Enterprise from Central Saint Martins, UAL where she focused on the conservation of world heritage sites in conflict zones. She has a background working in the Art World for commercial galleries and interned as a bookkeeper at an auction house. When not thinking about music, Emily can be found wandering around one of London’s many art galleries or planning her next home renovation project.

Daniel Lane
Photographer

Daniel Lane
Photographer
Daniel Lane produces all the catalog photography for Tarisio’s London office. He has been a professional photographer since 1999 and holds a BA in Photography and a Masters with Distinction. His work as a documentary photographer has led him to shoot photostories in many different countries, from hospitals in Madagascar to gold miners in Laos to ultimately win the London Fringe Photography Award in 2009. Daniel also enjoys working in the studio for Tarisio and other clients including Valentino, Patrick Cox and Boots to name a few.

Jonathan Larkman
Luthier

Jonathan Larkman
Luthier
Jonathan carries out tonal adjustments, setups and more extensive restoration work for Tarisio’s London office. Having studied violin making and restoration at Merton College, Jonathan was offered an apprenticeship with J. P. Guivier, after which he worked in the main workshop for 13 years. In that time he established his own business as Luthier in Residence for Trinity College, where he has carried out work for professional players and dealers alike. He has maintained his interest in modern making and has been fortunate to work alongside many respected contemporary makers.
New York

Brett Banchek
Chief Operating Officer

Brett Banchek
Chief Operating Officer
Brett oversees Operations, Technology, and Finance in our New York, Berlin, and London offices. Brett has 20+ years of operating experience in a wide variety of industries including luxury, eCommerce, perishables, and management consulting. Brett was responsible for launching eCommerce at Christie’s, which was the first Auction House to have an eCommerce presence. In addition to Christie’s, Brett has held Operations & Supply Chain leadership roles at HelloFresh and 1800Flowers. An entrepreneur at heart, Brett also launched and sold an eCommerce flower business.
Outside of the office, Brett enjoys cycling, music, cooking, and all things Ohio State. Brett lives with his wife and two sons in Westchester, NY. Brett is a native of Cleveland, OH and graduated from Ohio State University

Florence Haseler
General Manager & Head of Auctions

Florence Haseler
General Manager & Head of Auctions
Florence grew up in London and, after a brief introduction to the violin as a child, chose instead to play the viola. This naturally led her to study for a degree in Music at the University of York where she was also involved in introducing a Jazz music night for students in the city. She is a keen conservationist and has volunteered in a number of different environmental awareness campaigns around the world. After four years in Tarisio’s London office she moved in November 2016 to New York to lead T2 Auctions.

Emily Orr
Office Administrator & Bookkeeper

Emily Orr
Office Administrator & Bookkeeper
Emily Orr supervises the post-auction process for Tarisio’s clientele. In addition to her diverse background in restaurant ownership and film & theater production, she holds a Master’s in Anthropology from CUNY-Hunter College and is currently working on a Certificate from CUNY-Baruch College in Advanced Accounting and Forensic Accounting.

Robert Bailey
Head of Photography

Robert Bailey
Head of Photography
Robert Bailey manages the New York and London photography studio operations and is also responsible for maintaining Tarisio’s extensive digital archive. He has photographed thousands of instruments and bows since joining Tarisio in 2010, most famously the ‘Lady Blunt’ Stradivari sold in 2011, and has fine-tuned the techniques necessary to create the highest quality images.
Robert studied photography at Ohio University and went on to work as a commercial photographer for clients including United Airlines, Nike and the United Nations. His images have been published in the New York Times as well as being featured on The Today Show, The Discovery Channel and NBC’s Nightly News. He also served as an adjunct professor at Ohio Northern University and has lectured at the School of Visual Arts, Rochester Institute of Technology and The International Center of Photography.

Kevin Turvey
Logistics Manager

Kevin Turvey
Logistics Manager

Elizabeth LaPorte
Senior Luthier

Elizabeth LaPorte
Senior Luthier
Elizabeth LaPorte holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Macalester College and is a graduate of the Chicago School of Violin Making. Following completion of the program, she actively pursued additional training to acquire a diverse set of skills for repair and restoration with shops in Chicago and at Rare Violins of New York, in its workshop renowned for fine craftsmanship.
Elizabeth’s interest in lutherie is driven by her background as a violinist, as well as her enthusiasm for the many disciplines that contribute to instrument set-up, maintenance, and restoration. Approaching her work with a critical mind and integrated perspective aimed to serve the needs of musicians, she seeks to optimize the performance and facility of each instrument, while preserving its integrity as a unique object of cultural significance. Elizabeth’s experience working with fine instruments and accomplished musicians inspires and informs her continued violin making, and she specializes in making bench copies of 18th century Cremonese violins.

Kate Dreyfuss
Project Manager

Kate Dreyfuss
Project Manager
Kate Dreyfuss joined Tarisio in October 2021 and manages marketing and communications, special creative projects, and the Tarisio Trust. An accomplished violinist, Kate grew up in northern New Jersey and started playing at the age of 3. Her early musical training took place at The School for Strings – two blocks from Tarisio – and at Juilliard Pre-College. She is a graduate of Princeton University, where she studied French literature, and holds Doctor of Musical Arts and Master of Music degrees in Violin Performance from Stony Brook University. One of her favorite things about working at Tarisio is meeting and reconnecting with fellow musicians who stop by the office.

Martin Vaillancourt
Client Liaison

Martin Vaillancourt
Client Liaison
Martin grew up studying violin which evolved into a passion for orchestral conducting and fueled his appreciation for the classical repertoire. While attending McGill University, Martin studied violin, conducting, and musicology. After completing his undergraduate degree in 2021, Martin joined Tarisio as Client Liaison where he continues to surround himself with classical music and learn about the Fine Instrument trade. Martin will be welcoming you upon arrival to Tarisio in New York and assisting with any inquiries you may have.

Ben Gagnon
Account Coordinator

Ben Gagnon
Account Coordinator
Before joining Tarisio in April of 2022, Ben attended Colgate University with a focus in Music and Political Science. He studied composition and audio production under the guidance of Emmy-nominated composer Ryan Chase. While at Colgate, Ben was the principal bassist in the Colgate University Orchestra and a Student Senator. Outside of Tarisio, Ben operates a small record label where he produces and DJs. Ben looks forward to connecting and working with Tarisio customers.

Sungjong Noh
Luthier

Sungjong Noh
Luthier
Sungjong Noh stepped into the violin making world influenced by his father who is also a violin luthier. Sungjong graduated from the Chicago School of Violin Making in 2011 and he was the first early graduate student in the school’s history. After graduating, he further developed his violin luthier hand skills at a local shop in New Jersey. During this time, he was also taught by Paul Wiessmeyer and Carlos Arcieri and continued to improve his skills to serve more musicians. Most recently, he worked at Reed Yeboah Fine Violins and joined Tarisio in 2022.

Carmen Van Ameringen
Property Controller

Carmen Van Ameringen
Property Controller
Because of her family’s love for music and the arts, Carmen Van Ameringen developed a deep love for classical music and instruments at an early age. As a violin player through grade school, her passion for fine arts took over when she went to Kennesaw State University and studied Painting, Sculpture, and Spanish. When not wearing her Property Controller hat at Tarisio analyzing the wonderful instruments and bows, Carmen can be found at the Students Art League carving wood and stone, working on client oil portraits, and searching for live music spots around town. She holds a Certificate in Healthcare Support from AUT in NZ and a BFA in Painting & Sculpture from KSU.”

Elise Kolle
Cataloger

Elise Kolle
Cataloger
Elise Kolle joined Tarisio in December 2022 having previously specialized in historical harps, and she is delighted to be working with the bowed stringed instruments at Tarisio!
Elise holds bachelor’s degrees in harp performance and musicology from the New England Conservatory of Music and a master’s in musicology from the University of Glasgow. Her master’s thesis focused on the depiction of female harpists in eighteenth-century European portraiture. Elise was previously a Fulbright scholar in Stockholm, Sweden, studying the provenance and performance practice of the eighteenth-century harp. She has previously worked for the Boston Symphony Orchestra and the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra. She remains an active performer on early and modern harps and particularly enjoys studying the intersection of music and visual art.

Robert Lund
Website Designer/Administrator

Robert Lund
Website Designer/Administrator
Robert Lund created a new website for Tarisio in 2008, and is responsible for all of its complex operations, including a separate in-house website where staff members maintain the ever-growing database of instruments, customers, and online financial transactions. With a Bachelor’s Degree in Electrical Engineering from The Cooper Union and a Master’s from Stanford University, he worked on Picturephone at Bell Labs for five years, and then designed computer software and hardware in the broadcast television industry for many years. Tarisio represents the culmination of his work designing websites for the past ten years.
A musician since his youth, Robert has built his own harpsichord, served as a church organist and choirmaster, and played keyboards in various bands throughout his life. He enjoys the overlap between his two life interests afforded by the Tarisio project.
Paris

Marie Turini-Viard
Senior Specialist

Marie Turini-Viard
Senior Specialist
After graduating with degrees in Physics and Musicology from La Sorbonne, Marie moved to New York and began working at Tarisio in 2010. A strong curiosity in the history of violin making, along with handling over a thousand instruments and bows a year, led her to take on the role of Specialist while getting accredited by the Appraisers Association of America in 2015. She returned to Europe in 2017 to be the Head of Operations in the London office.
Marie is now Tarisio’s Senior Specialist and lives in Paris. She continues to handle consignments for all Tarisio offices as she frequently travels throughout Europe. She looks forward to discussing the best strategy for sale for your instrument, whether at auction or through private sales!
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