Insights Consulting

[Eugene]

Got US$500K to spare? #It appears that renowned scholar Dr. Tom Heck has left the library-ing business for the "consulting" business. #His firm is offering a whopping collection of stringed instruments for sale. #The guitars far outweigh the mandolins in the excitement department. #Still, there's one semi-decent 19th-c. Washburn mandolin and some not-unattractive Neapolitans alongside fine guitars by mando-notables like the Vinaccia clan and Gelas (not to mention fine guitars by guit-notables, the likes of Staufer, Panormo, Lacote, Martin & Schatz, Torres, etc.).

Check it out.

[margora]

It's like, incomprehensible. Where did he get all this stuff? Where did he keep it?

[John Zimm]

Wow, I am speechless. Is that Heaven?

-John.

[Jim Garber]

This reminds me of my old teacher, Roy Smeck. Some time after he died his widow contracted with Mandolin Brothers to sell off his entire collection of instruments and music-related memorabilia. They were asking $200,000 for the whole lot. Stan told me that they were thinking that a museum would buy it all.

A few years later, it went on the auction block as individual lots. I have a feeling that something similar would happen unless some one has lots of bucks and the inkling to start a museum.

Certainly interesting collection.

Jim

[GaryM]

What an incredible collection!
I even recognize one of the guitars in there..
The old Barrington...I think they made mandolins too..
My friend Steve used to have the matching mandolin too.
Im not to sure on this but the mando headstock was carved the same and read Hendsel.(Spelling??)
We should all chip in ...not a bad price realy. I'll keep them at my house and you can drop by any time.

[Jim Garber]

So, the title bar on that page reads "Musical Instrument Collection of C.V.F., Canada". I wonder who the mysterious CVF is. It also says on their home page: "The collection currently is in a private residence in Nova Scotia."

Jim

[Neil Gladd]

YIKES!

Note to Jim: I didn't know you studied with Roy Smeck! I have some of his records (78 and LP) and got a video compilation of his film shorts for Christmas!

[Jim Garber]

YIKES!

Note to Jim: I didn't know you studied with Roy Smeck! I have some of his records (78 and LP) and got a video compilation of his film shorts for Christmas!

Actually tomorrow would have been Roy's 104rd birthday. Tho not a classical player nor a mandolinist he had a ton of virtuosity.

That video is pretty incredible... I had only seen him play in his 80s or so and he was pretty good even then.

Jim

[seanh]

Very nice! I would really like to try some of those flutes. My other instrument is wooden flutes. I have been concidering an upgrade there. I don't know anything about guitars but if some one put me in a room with all those insruments they'd never get me out.

[jmcgann]

Average price per instrument $2900- and some even look like they might be playable

[Eugene]

Under $3K for a possibly playable 19th-c. Staufer, Panormo, Lacote, Martin & Schatz, Vinaccia, Dyer, or Torres! That would be a bargain to suddenly make this much more appealing (well, other than that ream of ukelines, marxolins, guitarophones, and other crappy American pseudo-zithers).

[Jim Garber]

And I heard from Prof. Heck about this sale. Evidentally, the seller only wants to sell as a biiiiiiiiig lot. Who knows they may sell it off piecemeal if they don't get a one huge offer.

I heard rumors that this is a part of a larger collection originating in Europe and that it is being brokered out to a number of agents.

Jim

[nar]

There is a Washburn bowl mandolin in the collection that looks like it may well be a model 74 from 1889. This is one of the very few I need to complete my collection for the research projectI'm working on. If any one knows of a way to obtain this one ,I sure would love to hear from them.
Neil

[PlayerOf8]

There are some very nice pieces in this collection. Now is the time to buy these instruments. I believe they will be a better value than some stocks today. The Staufer, Panormo, Lacote, Martin & Schatz, Vinaccia are what I call real BLUE CHIPS! This is one of the opportunities in life that you really can't pass by, without regrets somewhere down the road.

George

Just to be clear: I have NO personal interest in any instrument being offered.

[Arto]

" This is one of the opportunities in life that you really can't pass by, without regrets somewhere down the road."

May well be... just like being offered a brand new Rolls-Royce with 75% discount... But...

;-) Arto

[Jim Garber]

Having been collecting instruments for over 30 years now, I can safely say that one one hand, there is always another "rare" instrument down the line, regrets or no. Having said all that, when I see something I want, I usually go for it one way or the other...until the next one comes along. As a good friend, dealer/collector says, "they are all really just meat on the rack."

BTW I never really intentionally buy these because they are or will be good investments, but mainly because I love the things and love to play them. I suppose some folks are only in it for the cash, but even the hardnosed of dealers has a soft spot for some of these babies.

Jim