Musical Instrument Collection of C.V.F., Canada

A retired Canadian music professor and passionate collector of musical instruments has sought the assistance of Insights Consulting to find suitable new owners for his remarkable collection. Early in 2004 this Web site was put up to describe and publicize the collection. Initially buyers were sought for the entire collection. Beginning in January 2005, many wonderful instruments having remained unsold, the owner decided to invite and entertain offers on any and all instruments. Please review our helpful advice on HOW TO ACQUIRE INSTRUMENTS as you consider purchases.

If you are interested in these instruments' original appraised values (2003), please click here. The November 2006 price reductions supersede previous prices and discounts.

Any blue-tagged instruments are formally "in contract," meaning (a) that an offer to purchase has been accepted in principle, (b) that a refundable deposit of at least 10% of the sales price has been received as earnest money, and (c) that the instrument has been set aside for a few weeks to allow for on-site inspection or further e-mail queries, including arranging for detailed digital photos, to be followed by completion of the sale if the buyer is agreeable.

Contingent offers may be made on blue-tagged guitars, to become effective if the anticipated sale to the primary buyer falls through. Contingent offers will be honored in the order received. All prices are in US dollars.

As a service to guitar collectors and enthusiasts, images of guitars which have been sold are still viewable on a separate "sold instruments" page.

Serious inquiries and offers to seller's sole representative, Insights Consulting.
Thomas F. Heck, Ph.D., President.

No.	Thumbnails (Click thumbnail to see detailed images.)	Instruments - brief descriptions.
No.		NB. A blue tag signifies an instrument "in contract." After it is sold, the instrument is moved to the "sold" page and given a red tag.
014		Guitar, 6-string, "Gaetano Vinaccia ...Napoli... 177? [1779?]." Thomas Heck writes, "Assuming its label to be authentic, this is one of the two earliest original 6-string guitars yet discovered. The other one - another Vinaccia of 1779 - is in Lisbon's Museu da Musica. They are cousins rather than twins." (See his article on searching for the earliest 6-string guitar for more information.) Price now $40,000 US.
017		Guitar, 6-string, "C. F. Martin & Schatz," very early Martin, 1840. The pink-colored label bears the handwritten dedication "Made for Madam de Gone." Delores Nevares de Goni's fame in the 1840s led Martin to make a line of "Degoni model" guitars. See Gura, C.F. Martin and His Guitars, 76. Tuners are by Demet (Domet?). Price now $35,000 US.
021		Guitar, 6-string, French or American, Legnani model, ca. 1850-60. Price now $1,200 US.
025		Guitar, 6-string, American parlor style, unlabeled, new neck, ca. 1870. Price now $600 US.
026		Guitar, 6-string, unlabeled, American (?), wire-string style, ca. 1875. Price now $500 US.
037		Guitar, 6-string, Gelas model, offset neck and body, no. 713, année 1926. Price now $1,500 US.
038		Guitar, 6-string, unlabeled parlor classic w/Arabesques, ca. 1860. Price now $1,500 US.
042		Guitar, 6-string, unlabeled (but evidently J. H. Gerard, London), Lacote-like, ca. 1840. NOTE: A collector in Omaha, Nebraska, wrote saying "I have an instrument identical to guitar number 42. It is a J. H. Gerard, of 50 Soho Street London. Mine has the label. Mine has a rosewood back but otherwise is the same guitar. Check the tuners and see if there is a VR with a crown at one end. [There is!] They are Rance tuners from France, are they not? Anyway mine came from Christies in London many years ago..." Price now $2,500 US.
048		Canadian folk violin from Kingston, Ont., ca. 1900. Price now $200 US
049		Edison violin, "Tiebel-Violine," D.R.Z.W. no. 355993, ca.1920. Price now $1,000 US.(Note: similar instrument was offered on eBay at $1,420 US.)
055		Vihuela, 12-str., excellent cond., M. Schreiner, Toronto, 1974. Price now $2,500 US.
063		Rebec, folk fiddle of Greek (?) origin, 3 str., with bow. Price now $40 US
064		Folk fiddle with canine-style tuning head, lacks bridge. Price now $40 US
066		Mandolin, Neapolitan style, 8-str., by Albertini, early 20^th c. Price now $300 US
067		Mandolin, Neapolitan style, 8-str., richly inlaid, early 20^th c. Price now $400 US
068		Mandolin, Neapolitan style, 8-str., C. Rinaldi, Napoli, 19^th c.(?). Price now $400 US
071		Mandolin, Neapolitan style, 12-str., no. 1718, 20^th c. Price now $200 US
072		Mandolin, Neapolitan style, 12-str., F. Schwarzer "Echo" no.7331. Price now $900 US
073		Mandolin, Neapolitan style, 8-str., fine inlay work, No. 9979. Price now $400 US
074		Mandolin, Neapolitan style, 8-str., "Am. Conservatory," no.182808. Price now $300 US
075		Mandolin, Neapolitan style, 8-str., butterfly inlay. Price now $300 US
076		Mandolin, Neapolitan style, 8-str., standard model, no. 6787. Price now $80 US
077		Mandolin, Wappen-form, 8-str., Regal, flat-back. Price now $600 US
078		Rebec, folk fiddle, uncertain origin, appears very old. Price now $800 US
079		Mandolin, Neapolitan style, 8-str., Lakeside, USA, early 20^th c. Price now $80 US
080		Banjo, 5-string, 38 clamps. Price now $500 US
086		"Marxolin," bowed autoharp. Price: Make offer!
087		"Ukeline," bowed autoharp with bow, ornamented rosette. Price now $50 US
088		"Ukeline," bowed autoharp. Price now $60 US
089		Autoharp (Menzenhauer "zither guit.), early 20^th c. Price: Make offer!
090		Autoharp with chord button apparatus, early 20^th c. Price now $150 US
092		Flute, wooden, 4 keys, Firth, Hall & Pond, NYC, early 19^th c. Price now $500 US
093		Flute, wooden, early Boehm mod?, ivory mp; Bremen, A.F. Fischer. Price now $400 US
094		Flute, wooden, keyed, pre-Boehm, ivory mouthpiece. Price now $400 US
096		Flute, wooden, early Boehm mod?, ivory mouthpiece. Price now $400 US
097		Flute, wooden, Boehm model?, lacks one key. Price now $350 US
101		Flute, wooden, in Bb, 4 keys, early 19^th c. Price now $150 US
102		Flute, wooden, in Bb, 4 keys, "military band flute." Price now $125 US
103		Clarinet, 19^th c., Boston, W. Crosby. Price now $1200 US
104		Clarinet, 19^th c., London, Key (Charing Cross). Price now $1000 US
106		Flute, wooden, in Bb, 4 keys, London, H.Y. Potter. Price now $150 US
107		Flute, wooden, in Bb, 1 key, "military band flute." Price now $75 US
108		Flute, wooden, in Bb, 1 key, "band," London, John Grey & Sons. Price now $100 US
111		Autoharp, 3-button, C.F. Zimmerman, miniature, May 9, 1882. Price now $400 US
112		"Guitarophone," made by Vibraphone, USA. Price now $200 US
118		Raft-harp, African. Price now $40 US
122		Banjo, 4-string, English. Price now $50 US
124		Banjo, 4-string, English. Price now $50 US
129		Samisen, Japanese. Skin needs to be replaced. Price now $100 US
132		Chinese "moon guitar" (yuet chin). Price now $75 US
133		Chinese "coconut" folk-violin (huqin family; variant of erhu). Price: Make offer!
138		Accordion, 34-key/36b, Cesare Pancotti, Macerata, Italy (ca. 1910). Note: The grandson of the maker wrote in early 2006: "my grandfather was born around 1890. So, in the best case, the accordion ("fisarmonica" in the Italian language) was made around 1910; his father (Antonio) had been in the business since around 1860." Price now $300 US
140		Accordion, 24-key, no basses (cf. Handaeoline, 1822), Italy, 1830s? Price now $1000 US
141		Accordion, 24-key/2basses ("Ship's accordion") w/case. Price now $1000 US
142		Accordion, 30-button/11b, Austria, "M. Ruhsling, St.Veit a/d Glan." Price now $400 US
143		Accordion, 49-button/20b, Italy, Giovanni Vercelli, "rosso." Price now $500 US
144		Accordion, 11-button/8b, Germany, Ludwig Pinetree brand. Price now $150 US
145		Accordion, 8-button, Germany, Vulkan brand. Price now $40 US
146		Accordion, 10-button, Germany (Saxony), Dulcet brand. Price now $40 US
147		Concertina, London, "Sir Charles Wheatstone inventor" (c1835?). Price now $800 US
150		Bandura [bandoura], Ukranian psaltery, 8 bass str., 34 trebles. Price now $40 US
151		Cornets (2), brass & silver finish, with case. Price: Make offer!
152		Trumpet, Italy, Prof. Romeo Orsi, Milano. Price: Make offer!
153		Trumpet, single-valve. Price: Make offer!
154		Zither, Austrian, by John Bucher, with box (ivory parts), no. 2184. Price now $150 US
155		Trumpet, straight, brass (for signaling or ceremonies). Price: Make offer!
156		Temple horn, Nepalese, with silver mouthpiece and dragon-head bell. Price: Make offer!
159		Guitar, 4str. folk guitar in form of a paddle, D.J. Stevens, 1981. Price now $50 US
160		Guitar, Hawaiian steel electric, by G. Schillebeer, Edmonton, ca. 1946. Price now $100 US
163		Broadwood square piano, no. 49775, datable approx. latter 1838. Mint condition. -- was $7,500. Price now $5000 US NB. A similar Broadwood piano in the UK was priced (June 2003) at 4,500 GBP ($7,450 USD), not including transport from the UK to [wherever].