About L. Dalton Potter Expertise I have been involved in the violin trade for over 28 years. I am currently the President of The Potter Violin Company in Bethesda, MD. I can offer clients initial advice on the value, authenticity and quality of almost all bowed string instruments (violins, violas, cellos & basses) using good quality digital photos. I would decline to give final evaluations without examining instruments in person.
Experience Experience in Music Business: Charlie Byrd's Music House; 1977 - 1980
Senior violin technician: Violin House of Weaver; 1980 - 1996.
President: The Potter Violin Company; 1996 - Present
Organizations: Founding member;String Industry Council, Violin Society of America, American String Teachers Association, Guild of American Luthiers,
Suzuki Association of America, Publications; Journal of the American String Teacher's Association, American Suzuki Journal Education/Credentials;Berklee College of Music 1974 - 1977
Awards and Honors: Chester J. Patranek Award for Excellence in the Music Industry
Traugott Rohner Leadership in the Music Industry Award
(26 years of service - too many to list)
Expert: L. Dalton Potter Date: 5/12/2008 Subject: Violin
Question Hello,
I have an 1887 Ch. J.B. Collin-Mezin No.10 Violin that i am interested in selling, how do I find out it's worth?
Answer Hi Tammy,
The easy part is answering what a real 1887 Collin-Mezin is worth. The answer would be that replacement (retail) value on an instrument like this would be somewhere between 12K and 15K depending upon it's condition, how well it sounds, and the market in which you are trying to sell it. It needs to have papers from a reputable dealer that attests to it's authenticity (the papers need to read "made by" and not "labeled"). Selling an instrument of this type can be a little tricky; in some parts of the country they are well-received, partly because most of them have already been adjusted to modern expectations of sound and playability. In other parts of the country, French violins have a "mixed" reputation because it quite common for instruments of this type and from this period to need a new bass barr and to have their neck angles (projection) reduced in order to achieve an nice, clear, fully balanced sound, suitable for an advanced high-school or college student to use for their studies. While the numbers I have quoted may seem very nice, you should remember that selling an instrument like this for that kind of money, unusually requires a middle man of some sort and a skilled repair technician to make sure that the instrument is in perfect adjustment. I recently sold one from 1883 for around $8500. In all likelihood, selling it on consignment through a dealer or putting it up for auction will get you somewhere around $6000 and $7500 as a final NET, but at that price you should not be required to absorb ANY additional restoration costs, listing fees, commissions, etc. I would be happy to refer you to a dealer in your area who could help you market it. I the meantime, if you want to send me some good, clear, digital photos I can probably tell you if it's worth getting all excited about.. dalton@pottersviolins.com
Hope this Helps!
Thank you for using AllExperts.com
Dalton Potter
