Czech Violins & Various Bows
Watch
GUEST:
They used to belong to my brother's wife. They both passed away. They passed away prematurely because probably they were a... lived in the fast lane. She was a violinist.
APPRAISER:
I see.
GUEST:
And her dad was a music teacher. And her dad came from Czechoslovakia and all I know about these, I think they're from Czechoslovakia, I'm not sure.
APPRAISER:
And she turned out to be a professional violinist.
GUEST:
Yes.
APPRAISER:
Well, these are both Czech violins. And these are two of the best Czech makers. Now, the Czech makers are not as well known as the Italians or the French or some of the English, but the Czech makers were very fine craftsmen. This violin is Ferdinandus Homolka. It's dated 1873 and he was known as the Stradivarius of Prague. So he has a very high reputation. It's a beautiful violin and it's in great condition. This violin is not a familiar name-- Julius Hubicka. The label is actually from Spidlen, which was his teacher. And then he wrote on top of it that he was a disciple of Spidlen and that underneath it he signed it. So it was kind of an homage to his teacher. This violin is dated 1927. Tell us about the bows. Do you know anything about those?
GUEST:
All I know is that any violinist who came to play with the Calgary Philharmonic wanted to try her...Her bows, Bows and her violin. And she had one bow-- I don't know which it was-- that I think she had one that was exceptionally good. That's all I know.
APPRAISER:
This top bow is made by a very famous English maker. He's one of the most famous English makers, named James Tubbs. I would say it’s from around 1880.
GUEST:
These violins haven't been touched for 25 years. Would they be better if they were played?
APPRAISER:
Yes. As they get played, they will loosen up, they will break in again. Even an old violin, if it hasn't been played. So they will play better if they're played again. And that will keep them in their top condition, to play them once in a while. Today, a Homolka like this, as a retail price, between $20,000 and $25,000.
GUEST:
Whoa.
APPRAISER:
The Hubicka, around $12,000.
GUEST:
Well.
APPRAISER:
The Tubbs bow, the button is not original. It detracts a little bit from this price, but even at that would have a retail value around $13,000.
GUEST:
Oh!
APPRAISER:
This next bow is a German bow, a good quality German bow. Around $1,500. This bow right here, the Hill bow, unfortunately it's not original in all its parts. The frog has been replaced on it, so that cuts the value in half. Also, we can't see it on this side, but there's a repair to the head of the bow. So it greatly affects the value of the bow. But even at that, would have a value of around $1,500.
GUEST:
Wow.
APPRAISER:
The other bows are inconsequential, $100 or so each. So you have quite a collection.
GUEST:
Wow. Wow! Thanks very much.
APPRAISER:
You're welcome. Thank you.
GUEST:
That's really good. That's great. Wow.
Appraisal Details
Executive producer Marsha Bemko shares her tips for getting the most out of ANTIQUES ROADSHOW.
Value can change: The value of an item is dependent upon many things, including the condition of the object itself, trends in the market for that kind of object, and the location where the item will be sold. These are just some of the reasons why the answer to the question "What's it worth?" is so often "It depends."
Note the date: Take note of the date the appraisal was recorded. This information appears in the upper left corner of the page, with the label "Appraised On." Values change over time according to market forces, so the current value of the item could be higher, lower, or the same as when our expert first appraised it.
Context is key: Listen carefully. Most of our experts will give appraisal values in context. For example, you'll often hear them say what an item is worth "at auction," or "retail," or "for insurance purposes" (replacement value). Retail prices are different from wholesale prices. Often an auctioneer will talk about what she knows best: the auction market. A shop owner will usually talk about what he knows best: the retail price he'd place on the object in his shop. And though there are no hard and fast rules, an object's auction price can often be half its retail value; yet for other objects, an auction price could be higher than retail. As a rule, however, retail and insurance/replacement values are about the same.
Verbal approximations: The values given by the experts on ANTIQUES ROADSHOW are considered "verbal approximations of value." Technically, an "appraisal" is a legal document, generally for insurance purposes, written by a qualified expert and paid for by the owner of the item. An appraisal usually involves an extensive amount of research to establish authenticity, provenance, composition, method of construction, and other important attributes of a particular object.
Opinion of value: As with all appraisals, the verbal approximations of value given at ROADSHOW events are our experts' opinions formed from their knowledge of antiques and collectibles, market trends, and other factors. Although our valuations are based on research and experience, opinions can, and sometimes do, vary among experts.
Appraiser affiliations: Finally, the affiliation of the appraiser may have changed since the appraisal was recorded. To see current contact information for an appraiser in the ROADSHOW Archive, click on the link below the appraiser's picture. Our Appraiser Index also contains a complete list of active ROADSHOW appraisers and their contact details and biographies.
