Meet Nigel Kennedy, Strad salesman

The colourful British violinist has lent his services to the instrument dealership, J&A Beare, who – after a century of deliberation – have finally decided to taken in Sotheby’s and Christie’s in the auction market.

Bids open tomorrow (Monday) on the Beare’s site here.

Nigel is pumping up the product right now. Who’d have guessed he was a capitalist at heart?

From the press release:

Europe’s leading purveyor of antique stringed instruments launches its first online auction

Bidding open: Monday 20-Tuesday 28 October

“A great violin opens up your parameters and gives you access to sounds you never imagined you had access to before. On the other hand, you need a great player to show what a great instrument can do, so it’s like a partnership really.” Nigel Kennedy, October 2014

For the first time in its 122 year history, the internationally recognised stringed instrument dealer J & A Beare will offer players and investors from across the globe the opportunity to buy fine instruments and bows in an online auction.

With over 35 instruments – 30 violins, including a Stradivarius dating from 1698 and two Guadagninis (from 1767 and 1782); 3 violas; 4 cellos – and 10 bows, Beares’ auction is the largest sale of fine instruments, in playable condition, to be available on the market at the same time.

Unique to the field of auctions, instruments sold will be accompanied by a J & A Beare Certificate of Authenticity, recognised internationally as authoritative documentation of an instrument’s origin. As well as authenticating their instruments, Beares offer an after-sales care which is  econd to none, yet with a total estimated sale value of up to £8 million, the starting estimate for an early 20th century French violin begins as low as £4,000.