Interesting and varied collections put together by experts, makers and dealers.
Amati often hold Single Owner auctions at which we sell the stringed instrument collections of knowledgeable owners or retiring dealers. Each collection is different: we have sold luthiers tools, violins in the white, much-loved instruments ready to be repaired, and many fine violins, violas and cellos.
The joy of an Amati Single Owner auction is that the collector has already chosen his preferred instruments from the mass of stringed instruments available. Furthermore, the violins, violas and cellos that come up for sale in a Single Owner auction have often been out of the market for some time.
Selling your collection through Amati
Amati are often asked to assist when violin dealerships have closed down through retirement, ill-health or insolvency. We also take on the sale of large personal collections inherited by family members with no room or no interest in maintaining the collection.
In all cases, we have been happy to help and have achieved excellent and rapid results for the vendors.
Amati provide a valuation and collection service, and full administrative assistance. We treat your collection as you would wish it to be treated – with care. We catalogue carefully, and use high quality photography for all the lots. If you wish, we can keep the sale of your collection anonymous.
Six good reasons to sell with Amati
-
REASON 1
Amati know their instruments. Their specialists are experts in the field of stringed musical instruments.
-
REASON 2
They are excellent judges of an instrument’s worth in the market today and, because Amati hold an auction every month, they are better placed than anyone in the market to tell you what your instrument is worth.
-
REASON 3
Amati are honest: If your instrument is only worth £15 – £20, they will tell you so. If you still want to sell it, they can do that for you.
-
REASON 4
They are good sales people, using traditional and modern forms of advertising.
-
REASON 5
They take superb photographs of the whole instrument and provide reliable condition reports – for free.
-
REASON 6
They have networks of people around the world who buy regularly from Amati.
Six good reasons to buy from Amati
-
REASON 1
Again, Amati know their instruments.
-
REASON 2
They provide trustworthy condition reports, including extra, specific, research if necessary.
-
REASON 3
They take superb, free photographs of the whole instrument.
-
REASON 4
Speed: If you don’t see what you want in this sale, it isn’t long before Amati’s next sale.
-
REASON 5
They offer a simple, secure and transparent auction process, and friendly service.
-
REASON 6
Amati has an impressive record of shipping fine stringed instruments safely around the world.
Amati sell musical instruments made by great makers.
Bergonzi, Vuillaume, Testore, Gagliano, Amati, Sannino, Cappichioni, Klotz, Tecchler, Pedrazzini, and Rogeri. Amati also sell bows by well-known makers, such as Sartory, Peccatte, Lamy.
We have achieved world records for a number of bows and instruments, including world records for a Vuillaume cello in 2014, a Tecchler violin, sold in 2014, and a Pedrazzini cello in 2016.
Read our Reviews
“James Buchanan was a super nice guy with tons of information at his fingertips. He was efficient and helpful, as well as professional and friendly! It was a pleasure meeting up with him!”
“Just to say thank you to Simon for giving me a valuation on my 2 violins yesterday in Newcastle. His advice was very informative & it was a pleasure to meet him.”
“Thank you very much for your part in arranging our instrument valuation with Simon in Colchester yesterday. The experience greatly exceeded our expectations in the level of individual attention we received and care that he took over explaining the finer details. It was a very enjoyable and enlightening session; please pass on our thanks to him again, Best wishes, Elaine Henson and Stephen Mitchell”
“I would like to thank you and your colleagues for the highly efficient way you have dealt with this sale and for keeping me so well informed from start to conclusion of the sale.”
“I had a very positive experience with Amati who valued my two violins. The administration was very efficient and the location very convenient. I know very little about violins in general but the valuation session with Simon Howes was extremely interesting and informative. The arrangement was offered that I could contact Amati again if I wanted to auction my violins and I would certainly not hesitate to do so.”
“I sold a violin last year through Amati and they recently had my bow valued for free. Oswald, James, Sarah and Charlott are all incredibly helpful, polite, efficient and competent! I most recently spoke to James and he honestly couldn’t have been more helpful and insightful. I’m far from being an expert so it was extremely reassuring when the time was taken to provide me with all the information I could need. Oswald was similarly brilliant last year. As for the auction last year, it went well too and I was happy with the outcome. My thanks to the whole team. Amati is thoroughly recommended!”
“Payment received thank you very much, and thank you for your excellent service.”
“I was impressed with your complete service from my initial email and phone call to the fund transfer and everything in between”
“Many thanks for selling our late father’s violins for us. You did a great job!”
“Have a wonderful weekend and thank you. We are very pleased with what our violins have achieved and we’re happy that they are going to good homes where they are appreciated and played.”
“I look forward to receipt of the amount realised, after deduction for commission due to Amati. In the meantime, I would like to thank you and your colleagues for the highly efficient way you have dealt with this sale and for keeping me so well informed from start to conclusion of the sale.”
“From the first time we met in the valuation of Gothenburg has been a simple and pleasant dialogue on the sale of our items. Many thanks for your help!”
“It’s hard not to be pleased. Straight, clear information and regular updates. I give Charlott and James at Amati honours and my warmest recommendations.”
“Thank you also for your many phone calls and updates by email. This was a new experience for me, and my contact with Amati to date has been enjoyable and stress free.”
“Thank you for your email with the news about the sale of the Paul Bailly violin. It seems quite a good result and I am very pleased with the outcome.”
“Many thanks again to you and your colleagues, especially Oswald for the work undertaken to achieve a very good outcome in the sale of my violin and bow.”
“Wow, well done! Simply amazing, never thought that would happen.”
“I took my violin and a couple of bows to be valued at The Amati Exhibition at The Langham. The service was absolutely excellent. I was also shown the collection of instruments being auctioned and James Buchanan and his colleagues imparted so much knowledge and were really helpful and very friendly. Highly recommended!”