It is very common to receive calls here at the Jansma Violin Shop asking if the violin inherited from great-grandpa could be a genuine Stradivari, or Amati or whatever the label says inside. Before getting too hopeful that your family heirloom may be your retirement package, please read the following information:
The label inside the instrument, usually seen when you look through the f-hole, is commonly a copy and is not reliable as a means to identify the origin of the instrument. Copying other makers' instruments in every detail, right down to the label, has been practiced for centuries - long before copyright laws were designed. Some copies are quite good and have merit - and value. Others are merely crude factory production pieces, made by the millions, and are not worth the cost of a new set of strings. The best way to know if your instrument has value is to bring it, along with any papers that came with the instrument, to a reliable shop for assessment.
Tim feels it is important for a violin maker to spend a portion of his time doing repairs and restoration. The Jansma Violin Shop is pleased to offer full restoration service, as well as bow rehair and repair service. Insurance values of instruments and bows can also be appraised at the Jansma Violin Shop.