Tarisio is the world's largest seller of fine stringed instruments and bows. Founded in 1999 as an auction house that specializes in string instruments and bows, Tarisio now has locations in New York, London and Berlin and serves a global clientele.
Tarisio is the world's largest seller of fine stringed instruments and bows. Founded in 1999 as an auction house that specializes in string instruments and bows, Tarisio now has locations in New York, London and Berlin and serves a global clientele.
Tarisio's New York offices and gallery are at 244–250 W 54th Street, in the former workshop of the prominent French violin dealer and restorer Jacques Français. [1] Français was joined in 1964 by the luthier René A. Morel, also a Frenchman, who later opened his own shop in the same space. [2] Morel continued to work in collaboration with Tarisio until the summer of 2011, offering soundpost adjustments and other expert services. After Morel's retirement, he was succeeded at Tarisio by his colleague the luthier Stefan Valcuha, who restores lutes as well as taking care of their general maintenance.
The London offices and showroom of Tarisio Europe are located at 86-87 Wimpole Street, just around the corner from the Wigmore Hall.
The Berlin offices are on Kurfürstendamm at the corner of Fasanentstrasse.
Founded in 1999 by partners Christopher Reuning, Dmitry Gindin, and Jason Price, Tarisio was the world's first auction house to specialize in fine string instruments and bows. [3] [ citation needed ] The firm held its first online auction in November 1999 and by October of that year British string magazine The Strad declared it a "major player" in the string instrument auction world, suggesting that "Sotheby's now regards Tarisio as its principal rival." [4] According to The Red Book catalogue of auction results, the company set over 400 international auction records in its first 10 years of business. [5]
In May 2003 the firm auctioned the private collection of acclaimed violinist Isaac Stern, which grossed $2.3 million, at the time the second-highest total for a violin auction. [6] In July 2006 the firm announced its expansion with the addition of a London office to increase its presence in the European market. [7] Jason Price became the sole owner of the firm in January 2010. [8] [ citation needed ] In June 2010 Tarisio auctioned the contents of the historic Philadelphia violin firm of William Moennig & Son. The sale, which included over 600 lots of instruments, bows, and historical photographs, sold 100 percent of lots. [9] [ citation needed ] The October 2010 auction, which included the 1697 Molitor Stradivarius, was, at the time, the highest-grossing violin auction in history, with over $9 million in sales. [10]
In September 2012 the company announced its acquisition of Cozio, the world's largest online archive of musical instruments. [11] The Cozio archive includes photographs, price histories, and provenance for over 50,000 instruments and bows, including results from auction houses worldwide. The site will continue to operate independently from Tarisio.
Tarisio introduced two features to reduce buyer's premiums and encourage early bidding. The first, implemented in October 2013, is First In, Last Out, in which someone who bids both first and last on a lot pays a reduced buyer’s premium of 18% up to and including $200,000 (£100,000) and 13% thereafter. The other is Buy Now, introduced in October 2014, which lets buyers purchase select lots instantaneously at a fixed price in advance of the bidding, and reduces premiums to 18% and 13% respectively, introduced in . [12]
The following is a list of notable instruments and bows sold by Tarisio. All prices are in $US and include the buyer's premium.
Antonio Stradivari was an Italian luthier and a craftsman of string instruments such as violins, cellos, guitars, violas and harps. The Latinized form of his surname, Stradivarius, as well as the colloquial Strad are terms often used to refer to his instruments. It is estimated that Stradivari produced 1,116 instruments, of which 960 were violins. Around 650 instruments survive, including 450 to 512 violins. His instruments are considered some of the finest ever made, and are extremely valuable collector's items.
A Stradivarius is one of the string instruments, such as violins, violas, cellos, and guitars, crafted by members of the Stradivari family, particularly Antonio Stradivari, in Cremona, Italy, during the late 17th and early 18th centuries. These instruments are known for their craftsmanship, tonal quality, and lasting legacy, and are considered some of the finest ever made. Stradivari's violins, in particular, are coveted by musicians and collectors, with many selling for millions of dollars.
The Duport Stradivarius is a cello made in 1711 by Italian luthier Antonio Stradivari of Cremona. The instrument is named after Jean-Louis Duport, who played it from around 1800 until his death.
Giovanni Battista Guadagnini was an Italian luthier, regarded as one of the finest craftsmen of string instruments in history. He is widely considered the third greatest maker after Antonio Stradivari and Giuseppe Guarneri "del Gesù". The Guadagnini family was known for their violins, guitars and mandolins.
Jean-Baptiste Vuillaume was a French luthier, businessman, inventor and winner of many awards. His workshop made over 3,000 instruments.
The Soil Stradivarius of 1714 is an antique violin made by Italian luthier Antonio Stradivari of Cremona (1644–1737). It is one of 700 known extant Stradivari instruments. The instrument was made during Stradivari's "golden period" and is named after the Belgian industrialist Amédée Soil. The current owner of the violin is violinist Itzhak Perlman.
The Messiah - Salabue Stradivarius of 1716 is a violin made by the Italian luthier Antonio Stradivari of Cremona. It is considered to be the only Stradivarius in existence in as "new" state. The neck has been lengthened and at minimum the bass bar, bridge, tailpiece, and pegs have been replaced. It is in the collection of the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford, England.
The Otto Booth; Cho-Ming Sin Stradivarius of 1716 is an antique violin fabricated by Italian luthier Antonio Stradivari (1644–1737) of Cremona. The original label of the instrument was "Antonius Stradivarius Cremonensis faciebat Anno 1716". The Booth Stradivarius has a two-piece back and has a body length of 35.4 cm.
Luigi Tarisio was an Italian violin dealer and collector.
Bartolomeo Giuseppe "del Gesù" Guarneri was an Italian luthier from the Guarneri family of Cremona. He rivals Antonio Stradivari (1644–1737) with regard to the respect and reverence accorded his instruments, and for many prominent players and collectors his instruments are the most coveted of all. Instruments made by Guarneri are often referred to as Del Gesùs.
Samuel Zygmuntowicz is a contemporary luthier and is widely regarded as one of the finest violin makers of his generation. He began his instrument making training at age 13, and studied making and restoration under Peter Prier, Carl Becker and René Morel. Since 1985 he has been based in Brooklyn, New York. His early work demonstrates expert skill as a copyist of classic instruments. Later work includes personal models informed by intensive advanced research. Findings from this research have been published in numerous print and digital media. Zygmuntowicz is an active fiddler, playing with several folk music groups. His playing can be heard on the recordings Grand Picnic, and Jump When the Trumpets Blow.
The "General Kyd" is a nickname applied to several Stradivarius instruments crafted by Italian luthier Antonio Stradivari of Cremona and owned for a time by British General Alexander Kyd. They include a violin made in 1714, a violin made in 1720, and the General Kyd; ex-Stern Stradivarius cello made in 1684. These instruments have been owned and played by some of the world's leading musicians. The 1714 violin was owned from about 1980 to 1990 by Itzhak Perlman, who made most of his early recordings using this instrument. The 1720 violin's owners included composer Rebecca Clarke.
The Molitor Stradivarius is an antique violin made by Italian luthier Antonio Stradivari of Cremona in 1697, the very beginning of the maker's celebrated "Golden" period. It bears the label "Antonius Stradivarius Cremonensis / Faciebat Anno 1697" and is branded to the lower rib, "Curtis Phila."
The Lady Blunt is a Stradivarius violin made in 1721 by the renowned Italian luthier Antonio Stradivari. It is named after one of its first known owners, Lady Anne Blunt, the British co-founder of the Crabbet Arabian Stud.
Albert Ivan Stern was a violinist born in New York City.
The Le Brun Stradivarius of 1712 is a violin made by Italian luthier Antonio Stradivari of Cremona (1644–1737). It is the only violin from Stradivari’s golden period known to have been owned and played by the violinist Niccolò Paganini. When sold at a Sotheby's auction in London in November 2001 it achieved one of the highest prices ever paid for a violin at auction, and became the most expensive instrument in Europe.
Horace William Petherick (1839-1919) was an artist and illustrator, a violin connoisseur, and a writer. As an artist, four of his works are in public collections in the UK; as an illustrator, he illustrated over 100 books, some of which are still in print, and his work can be found in digital collections at the British Library, the Osborne Collection of Early Children's Books, and the Baldwin Library of Historical Children's Literature; as a violin connoisseur, he owned both a Stradivarius and a del Gesù; and as an author, three of his books are still in print.
The Da Vinci, ex-Seidel Stradivarius is a violin made by Antonio Stradivari of Cremona, Italy in 1714.
Bein & Fushi, Inc. is a stringed instrument dealership and repair shop in Chicago founded in 1976, known internationally for its dealership of antique string instruments such as those made by luthiers Antonio Stradivari and Giuseppe Guarneri. Bein & Fushi includes the Stradivari Society, known for lending rare violins to young aspiring artists.