I have some really fine French violins just now. Amongst others is one by Auguste Sebastien Phillippe Bernardel, the very violin made for the 1866 exhibition, another by Joseph Hel of 1886, and two good violins by Honore Derazey, one of which is accompanied by correspondence from the late Albert Cooper. Both are good early examples with the plain Derazey stamp. I have two violins by his son, Juste (Justin) Derazey as well. A special thing is the violin made for the prizewinning student at the Paris Conservatoire in 1915, by Caressa & Francais. Oh, and a typical (which means good) early Collin-Mezin violin. It's from 1882. Also I have violins by Lavest of Montlucon and Jean Striebig. These last two are by little known makers, but they're good. Two 18th Century French instruments are by Jacques Bocquay, typically oversized but with a normal string length, and by Claude Francois Vuillaume. It's a little confused, but there seem to have been no less than five makers of this name. This one is two generations up on the famous Jean-Baptiste Vuillaume.

French violins

Ref:2047

Joseph Hel, Lille, 1886

£enquire

Images here

Ref:1942A

Honoré Derazey, circa 1830

£25,000

Images here

Ref:1698

Caressa & Francais, Paris, 1914

£15,000

Ref:1650B

Paul Bailly, Paris, 1900

£13,000

Ref:1478A

Claude Chevrier, Mirecourt

£6,200

Ref:1601A

Jean Striebig, Mirecourt, 1937

£3,800

Ref:283

Mirecourt, late 19^th Century

£2,100

Ref:CL

Mirecourt School, late 19^th Century

£2,000

Ref:554

French, Jombar workshop, Paris 1934

£1,900

Ref:JRW

French violin

£1,900

Ref:412H

Mirecourt School, late 19^thC.,labelled L.Bernadel

£1,650

Ref:572

French violin

£1,300

Ref:217

French violin

£1,250

I have a violin by Charles & Samuel Thompson, circa 1770, with a nice undated label inside. I don't know whether there's another label of the actual maker under the table - but I don't think so. I can't find anything with a mirror, and, as the instrument is in good playing condition, I don't think it's worthwhile to take the table off.

Ref:1897

Tobin/Arthur Betts school, London, circa 1840

£18,500

Ref:K2FC

Lockey Hill, London, circa 1770

£8,000

Images here

Ref:2086

F.W. Chanot, London, 1905, in excellent condition

£10,500

Ref:2153

Goulding & Co., London, circa 1820

£6,800

Ref:2110

A lovely violin by Colin Irving, the English Stradivari, made in 1973

£5,000

Ref:1290A

John Martin, 1880

£2,600

German violins

Ref:1479

Grigori Ferdinand Wenger, Augsburg, 1762, in almost perfect state

£5,000

Images here

Ref:RRT2

Nurnberg School, 18th Century,

£3,500

Ref:1327C

Mittenwald School

£1,100

Ref:M.H.

Dresden school, circa 1930

£1,600

Ref:212B

Berlin school, labelled Ruggieri

£1,550

Ref:597K

German

£1,275

Ref:1039H

Dresden, circa 1920

£960

Ref:412I

German, labelled Muncher, 1940

£940

Ref:546

Saxon school, circa 1920

£750

Other nationality violins

Old Italian violins are just shooting up in price, so it is a pleasure to have three reasonably-priced examples (under £35,000) in stock.

One (according to dendrochronology) probably dates from circa 1720. It's got various bits of wood let into the edges of the back and so on, but it doesn't have a soundpost crack in the back and it doesn't have any problems associated with the neck block. The pegbox is being sorted out as this is written, and, actually, it's in very reasonable condition. It has a rather square-shouldered outline but attractive wood and a fine clear Grancino-like varnish. I think it's probably by a maker called Carlo Antonio Taneggia. I have seen only three instruments by this maker, so I'm no kind of authority - but nonetheless this reminds me of all three.

The second dates from around 1770, and is labelled Pietro Antonio Landolfi. It has been slightly enlarged, from perhaps 13 1/2 in. to its present 13 15/16 in., by the addition of a little more wood at the base of the instrument. The work, which has been miraculously executed, was probably done by the Hill's a long time ago. At first one doesn't notice, but a second glance shows the extra wood, and a careful search shows half of a pin at the base, now set about half an inch inboad of the purfling. Tha label, incidentally, may be the original: Pietro's work seems to have varied considerably - possibly others were working for him? - but there is a very similar example illustrated in Four Centuries of Violin Making. It's a glamorous violin which sounds wonderful.

The third is probably from circa 1790, again according to dendrochronology. Once again, I reckon it's likely to be Milanese. It comes with a useless certificate saying it is by a maker I have not heard of . . . but it really is Italian.

Ref: J.H.

Andreas Renisto

£7,500

Ref: G.Z.

Antonio Capela, Espinho (Portugal) 1985.A very clean example by this well-known Portugese maker.

£4,000

Ref:1544

Irish, by Perry & Wilkinson, 1815

£5,500

Small, Half & Three-Quarter Size Violins

I always have a selection of good small-sized violins. This means that I do not sell the most basic school instruments for beginners - these may be purchased from a high street shop. My stock is meant for children who are clearly going to be good players, and who deserve something that is a serious instrument, not a toy.

Because children grow, my small-sized violins do not tend to stay in any one family's possession for more than two years. Provided they have been looked after I am perfectly willing to re-purchase them at the full price in exchange for the next, larger, instrument.

Viola players are difficult to please - no two players ever seem to want the same length instrument, or if they do, they want different widths and rib depths and so on. A list is therefore meaningless - it cannot possibly convey enough information to help a potential player. However my stock is changing all the time, of course. It is best to phone and let me know the kind of thing you are looking for. I'll be able to tell you if I have anything suitable.

I have several 19th Century German and French violas, including a vast German instrument, 16 9/16 in and wide with it. It's nothing special, just a (good) factory thing, circa 1880 - but in clean condition and somehow attractive. It's for those who like a cello under their chin, really. I've a nice French 16 in viola, made around the end of the 19th century, with really clean workmanship and a surprisingly deep tone at £2,500.

All else being equal, small violas are, actually, inherently louder than large ones. Think. Small violins, like those by Guarneri, are even more powerful than those of Stradivari. A well set-up violin is every bit as loud as a cello, and quite a bit louder than a double bass. Acoustic volume is not dependent on spatial volume. This still holds true for the lowest string; the C string. Of course a small viola won't sound so much like a cello - but it'll still sound different from a violin and be able to play the viola repertoire. If you are uncomfortable with a standard size (say, 16 inches) instrument then do consider something smaller . . . such as my superb viola by Bernhard Simon Fendt. It's just over 15 inches, but is, perhaps, rather too powerful for the average string quartet. Images here

I have a really superb cello by William Forster - a straightforward example, signed by the endpin and with its original label, and in wonderful condition. Images here I also have an excellent cello by Thomas Kennedy. It is of standard size, with a back length of29 7/16 in. (749mm.) It is an extraordinary find, having been stored for very many years. It has its original label, and sounds very well. Images here £42,000.

Help! I've recently been taking three-quarter size cellos in part-exchange, and now I have too many. Therefore I'll accept any reasonable offers on these - they're all set up and playable, and one of them has a good bow with it.

I've an interesting smallish Saxon cello, dating from the late 18th Century. I wrote a blog about this, and images of it can be seen in that bit of my website.

I have two more nineteenth century French cellos and five nineteenth Century German cellos ranging from £2,500 to £6,800. I have a beautiful instrument by Paul Bailly, 1893. This cello, in wonderful condition, was Bailly's very first made in England, and is numbered 1. It has had only two owners from new. The last time it was sold was in 1950, and that was by the well-known English maker, Arthur Richardson. His original letter accompanies the instrument.

I have eleven new instruments of varying qualities ranging from around £1,500 to £5,000.

I usually have a few basses in stock. I've just got a huge beautiful old (circa 1900) German bass in, at £6,000. Also a really good big new bass, made to my specifications, at £4,800 + VAT, and another "ordinary-sized" (which means 3/4) good-quality student instrument at less than £2,000.