Violin Valuation, Free and Without Obligation

What is your violin worth? Amati’s specialists give a free violin valuation at a valuation day near you, online from photographs, or at our London office in Chandos Street. Antique or modern, since 2013 we have helped thousands of people find out who made their violin and what it would fetch at auction. There is no charge and no obligation to sell: an honest appraisal from a specialist violin valuer, nothing more.

Prefer to talk? Call +44 (0)20 7099 7114, WhatsApp us or email [email protected].

Violin Valuation, Free and Without Obligation

A violin by G. B. Guadagnini, Turin, c.1771 sold for £488,000

Valuation day booking
Complimentary valuations, no charge, no obligation
Specialists in violins, violas, cellos and bows
Helping owners discover their instruments’ worth since 2013
40,000+ auction price records in the Amati Archive
Member of SOFAA, the Society of Fine Art Auctioneers and Valuers

What happens at a violin valuation

If we can help we will, no pressure to sell, just an appraisal of value.

STEP 1

Book your appointment

Choose a valuation day near you and pick a time that suits. Booking takes a couple of minutes, online or by phone.

STEP 2

Meet a specialist

Bring your violin, along with any bows or paperwork. A valuation is a conversation, not an examination. It takes around fifteen minutes, and there is no obligation.

STEP 3

Hear what it's worth

Our specialist will tell you who made your violin, when and where, and what it could achieve at auction today.

STEP 4

Decide in your own time

If you'd like to sell, we'll guide you through consigning to one of our monthly auctions. If not, the valuation is yours to keep.

Violins we've valued have gone on to remarkable results

Recent results at Amati auctions, including buyer's premium.

£488,000

Violin by G.B. Guadagnini, Turin c.1771

£73,200

Violin by Marino Capicchioni

£62,300

Violin by the Rugeri family

Violin valuations near you, in London or online

Violin valuations near you, in London or online

Our London valuation days are held at Furlong House, 10A Chandos Street, London W1G 9DQ, our headquarters just off Cavendish Square. Elsewhere, we choose comfortable, central venues that are easy to reach.

Appointments are private and unhurried. Whether your violin is a family heirloom or an attic find, you'll leave knowing what you have and what it might be worth.

Upcoming valuation days

Amati specialists travel the country. Find the day nearest you.

London Amati office
Book →
London Monday 28 September
Book →
Lichfield Tuesday 29 September
Book →
St Andrews Thursday 12 November
Book →
Edinburgh Friday 13 November
Book →
Glasgow Saturday 14 November
Book →
London Monday 26 October
Book →
London Monday 5 October
Book →
London Monday 12 October
Book →
London Monday 19 October
Book →
Lincoln Tuesday 6 October
Book →
Guildford Tuesday 13 October
Book →
Stratford-Upon-Avon Tuesday 20 October
Book →
Peterborough Tuesday 27 October
Book →
Norwich Monday 2 November
Book →
Bloomfield Hills Monday 5 October
Book →
Perrysburg Tuesday 6 October
Book →
Cleveland Wednesday 7 October
Book →
Youngstown Friday 9 October
Book →
Ely Tuesday 3 November
Book →
Nottingham Tuesday 10 November
Book →
Poole Tuesday 17 November
Book →
Liverpool Monday 23 November
Book →
Harrogate Tuesday 24 November
Book →
Swansea Monday 7 December
Book →
Cowbridge Tuesday 8 December
Book →
Hereford Wednesday 9 December
Book →
Cheltenham Thursday 10 December
Book →
Akron Thursday 8 October
Book →
Pittsburgh Saturday 10 October
Book →
London Tuesday 29 September
Book →
London Wednesday 30 September
Book →
London Thursday 1 October
Book →
London Friday 2 October
Book →
London Tuesday 6 October
Book →
London Wednesday 7 October
Book →
London Thursday 8 October
Book →
London Friday 9 October
Book →
London Tuesday 13 October
Book →
London Wednesday 14 October
Book →
London Thursday 15 October
Book →
London Friday 16 October
Book →
London Tuesday 20 October
Book →
London Wednesday 21 October
Book →
London Thursday 22 October
Book →
London Friday 23 October
Book →
London Tuesday 27 October
Book →
London Wednesday 28 October
Book →
London Thursday 29 October
Book →
London Friday 30 October
Book →
London Monday 2 November
Book →
London Tuesday 3 November
Book →
London Wednesday 4 November
Book →
London Thursday 5 November
Book →
London Friday 6 November
Book →
London Sunday 25 October
Book →
London Tuesday 17 November
Book →
London Tuesday 24 November
Book →

Violin valuation and appraisal: questions people ask

How much does a valuation cost?

Nothing. Valuations are complimentary, whether in person, online or by phone, and there is no obligation to sell.

How long does it take?

Around fifteen minutes. A valuation is a conversation, not an examination.

What should I bring?

Your violin, any bows, and any paperwork you have. Old receipts, certificates or family letters can all help tell the story.

Do I have to sell my violin?

No. Many people simply want to know what they own. If you do wish to sell, we'll explain how consigning to auction works.

What if I can't get to a valuation day?

You can request an online valuation with photographs, or call us on +44 (0)20 7099 7114 to talk it through.

My violin has a Stradivarius label. Could it be real?

Almost certainly not, but do bring it. Thousands of honest copies were made in Germany, France and Bohemia from the 1800s onwards, and some of them are lovely instruments worth real money in their own right. We would far rather look and tell you than leave you wondering.

Do you value violin bows as well?

Yes, and please bring them. A good French bow can be worth more than the violin it arrived with. It happens more often than you would think.

What we look at when we value a violin

Every violin tells you something. Even the case it comes in can be a real indicator of what is inside.

Although it may seem counterintuitive, we tend not to look at the label at the beginning. We start with the back.

I think because you can tell so much from the way the button is cut, but it is quite hard to explain really. We look at the back first because we always have.

Then the type of wood. Nothing, for me, is as beautiful as oppio, the wild Italian maple you see so often in late Cremonese instruments.

We also look at how the work is carried out. A blunt chisel can tell us so much. The good makers may have worked quickly, but they always kept their tools sharp.

The purfling, whether it is inlaid, scratched or painted on, and even the materials in the purfling. The scroll and the f-holes, which are as individual as handwriting. The varnish, and what is underneath it.

It takes about fifteen minutes, and you will leave knowing more about your violin than when you arrived.

Also valuing

Amati values the whole family. If you have more than one instrument at home, bring them all. There is no charge for any of them.