Auction Report June 2025: Mysteries, masterpieces and memorabilia

Read more news articles here

Read more premium content for subscribers here

There was a good deal of energy at the spring viewings, including the return of Gardiner Houlgate to the London scene, but the ultimate sales results were rather uneven. There were memorable lots, but the majority of six-figure items were left firmly on the shelf. Before the sales even began Brompton’s pulled the prospect of having a Stradivari on the block (the 1700 ‘de Beriot’ violin), reportedly accepting an advance offer from a player. In retrospect this looks to have been a wise move given the performance of other top lots this season.

The ‘Belle of the Ball’ this spring was the mysterious ‘Amalie Mollner’ violin, which more than doubled its top estimate at £360,000 for Ingles & Hayday (I&H). Described as ‘A Violin, North Italy, Mid-18th century’, it had been in the same continental family for more than 150 years. Paul Hayday told me that dendrochronology on the instrument does not exclude anything interesting, and that expertise is so far divided. Venice seems a good prospect. Further research will no doubt establish an identity.

Meanwhile, Brompton’s offered a remarkable and fresh-to-market Nicolas Lupot violin. Made in the last year of his life (1824), the instrument maintains most of its lustrous red varnish and its original neck. John Dilworth observed that being ‘in beautiful condition… It is surely one of the finest surviving examples of his work.’ It sold slightly under estimate at £233,000. Over at Tarisio, interest in long-unseen examples continued. A c.1855 Vuillaume cello in excellent condition, off the market for nearly half a century, sold mid-estimate for £330,000.

Apart from the ‘Mollner’, some Italian violins of the golden age did manage to sell this season including the ‘Hepton’ 1665 Nicolò Amati at I&H. In very good condition, save some minor patches, the ‘Hepton’ (named for the former lord mayor of Leeds) had crossed the Atlantic in the mid-20th century and eventually became the property of The Music Settlement, a charitable organisation in Cleveland, OH, for whose benefit it was sold. It made well within estimate at £168,000. Brompton’s sold a fine c.1690 Gioffredo Cappa, supported by a Ratcliff latest ring date of 1660, also for £168,000. Tarisio offered the c.1675 ‘Isenberg’ Francesco Rugeri with a provenance going back to the 1907 purchase of the instrument in France by Goodwin (of Beare, Goodwin & Co). Supported by Hill and Bein & Fushi certificates, it sold for £165,200. The same house sold a c.1755 Carlo Landolfi for £132,000.

It was a welcome surprise to encounter Gardiner Houlgate showing an attractive range of lots at the Royal Over-Seas League after a considerable absence from London. The impetus for this was their sale of the estate of Peter Voigt, ninth generation of the Voigt family lutherie tradition. The most prominent offering from Voigt’s collection was a William Forster III cello with Hill certificate, selling just above top estimate at £82,000. Also sold was a c.1845 Maggini model violin by Vuillaume, with Rampal certificate, at £60,000.

A feature of the I&H sale was the final remnant of memorabilia from the W.E. Hill & Sons tradition, being materials from the estate of the late David Hill. Estimates were set low, but as might be expected the lots took off all by themselves and bidding for the legacy was fierce. Most notably the final seven volumes of Hill sales records (from 1978 through 2023) reached £32,000. More symbolic items, like a framed 1901 royal warrant of appointment to the firm, attained £7,200.

As to bows, the most spectacular lots were all for the cello. Brompton’s sold two of these: a c.1845–50 Dominique Peccatte that once belonged to Leonard Rose, which went over estimate at £102,000, and an altogether more remarkable c.1815 Tourte bow sold for £206,000. The latter, original in all but its frog, had been used by its lucky player for many years on the assumption that it was a Dodd. Upon its reassessment they considered holding on to it, but after this result they were no doubt happy to be parted. Over at Tarisio an unstamped Nicolas Rémy Maire cello bow nearly doubled its top estimate at £96,000.

The viola of the season was from the circle of Gasparo da Salò, accompanied by a Ratcliff dendro latest date of 1580 on its bass side. It looks the business as a Brescian instrument and is a true tenor with a back length of 432mm. It sold over estimate at Brompton’s for an undisclosed amount.

Continuing with my ongoing theme of fine, well-attributed German/Austrian lots performing above estimate, are two Vienna instruments from the estate of a German player offered by I&H. The first of these is an important early Strad model by Sebastian Dalinger (Geissenhof’s brother-in-law), dated 1798 and selling for £11,400. The second is a c.1730 viola (probably) by Anton Posch (401mm), with what is likely a later head. It made £13,200.

As usual, there were many other interesting lots of which I can name but a few. The first was a fine c.1810 Bernard Simon Fendt I cello, labelled T. Dodd and certified by Dilworth among others, selling at I&H for £66,000. Another cello of note from I&H was a Gand & Bernardel Frères exposition cello dated 1867, with a painted Napoleonic coat of arms, which made £54,000. At Tarisio a highly interesting lion-headed violin labelled Stainer, but confidently attributed to Johann Paul Schorn of Salzburg c.1695, almost tripled its upper estimate at £17,000. It looked ripe for Baroque reconversion. Finally, back at Brompton’s, there was a 1929 Hart & Son violin on the ‘Leduc’ Guarneri ‘del Gesù’ model. There are indications, including a stock number in the centre interior back, that strongly suggests the Voller brothers, making it a potential bargain at its selling price of £7,080.

All sale prices include buyer’s premium

Posters

The Strad’s exclusive instrument posters, most with actual-size photos depicting every nuance of the instrument. Our posters are used by luthiers across the world as models for their own instruments, thanks to the detailed outlines and measurements on the back.

Books

This third volume in The Strad's Great Instruments series brings together the finest scholarship, research and analysis by some of the world’s leading experts on stringed instruments.

Calendars

The Canada Council of the Arts’ Musical Instrument Bank is 40 years old in 2025. This year’s calendar celebrates some its treasures, including four instruments by Antonio Stradivari and priceless works by Montagnana, Gagliano, Pressenda and David Tecchler.