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Forum Newbie
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: Monday, March 31, 2008 6:49 PM
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i began shopping for cellos about 3 months ago. i came upon a southern california dealer with an extremely impressive list of cellos for sale. i was eager to see and play the cellos. when i visited his studio, a "gagliano" caught my ear and eye so i decided to take it out on trial. it was presented to me as a johannes gagliano the 1st made 1809, (what the label says). he offered the walter hamma book (which had a picture of the cello and an analysis of the cello as a johannes gagliano, published in the early 1960's), a strad magaizine article from 1952 (about johannes gagliano with this cello as a feature) and a modern hill certificate as documentation of authentication. seemed ok to me..... the unsuspecting, uninformed, inexperienced buyer.... doing some research here is what i found about the cello....
it had sold at the tarisio auction in 2003 for 56,000 dollars. it appeared in their catalog as "gagliano family, ca 1850." it was being presented to me as a "johannes gagliano the 1st, 1809." the asking price was 350,000 dollars. showing it to a couple of dealers and talking to a few appraisers, makers and friends, it became clear to me that there was a title for this class of cello, it is known in the business as a "no name 19th century, italian/naples." more research revealed that the documentation that was being offered with the cello was out of date and discredited. the hamma book (once a valid source) is not really respected by any serious appraisers. a very cool book with lots of neat pictures, anyone who knows there business will tell you that book is about 2/3d's correct 1/3d incorrect. not a good percentage when you are talking about your life savings. modern hill certificates are "not worth the paper they are written on," and "do have one use... if you run out of toilet paper you have something to wipe your *** with." a strad magazine article from 1952 is really neat, but not valid as authentication.
more calls revealed that the cello had been in and out of at least 3 shops and been in a "botched" deal. the story of the "botched" deal goes- the cello was consigned to a dealer who had a buyer for the cello as a "johannes gagliano the 1st." the deal was contingent on a very reputable expert in the chicago area certifying the cello as such. the reputable dealer/expert could only call it a "no name cello from naples, 19th century." the deal fell through. i talked with someone at tarisio about what there classification "gagliano family, ca 1850" meant. phrases like "gagliano enthusiast" "spokes from the gagliano family wheel" were used. i was right back at "no name, italian/naples 19th century."
further research found me some cellos with this same title. prices ranged from 60,000 (for a beater) to maybe 100,000 or a little more (for a very good one). i really like the cello and want to buy it. i shared all my research with the dealer and returned the cello. he sort of requested that his name be kept anonymous when talking to other dealers, appraisers and in forums.... you'd think he would be proud of his name and product.....
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Enthusiast
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: Wednesday, May 07, 2008 5:27 PM
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Hi there!
It’s not the first time I heard a story like that; in fact, there are many dealers who want to take advantages of instruments bought from auction houses, where actually there are no reliable certificates.
Don’t forget, they are dealers and money is their first aim; all of them what to fulfill the dealer’s dream: “To find the undiscovered Strad for 100 bucks”.
However, I think what you did was the right thing. I would have done the same if I were you.
The price for a “no name 19th century Italian (Napoli school)” is more or less what you have said. Here in Europe it can rise between € 100.000/120.000. In Italy the prices are even crazier: You ask for an Italian cello, beginning of 20th century and you hear already those prices.
If you really like the cello, go for it, but my advice is not to pay more than the price you have already suggested.
Greetings! 
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Moderator
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Last Login: Yesterday @ 11:29 AM
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| Thanks for sharing this story. Unfortunately, stories like this are all-too-common. One of the goals of Cozio.com is to level the playing field by giving musicians more information so that they can make informed decisions. This particular instrument is listed here: http://www.cozio.com/Instrument.aspx?id=5075 The fact that it didn't sell at Christie's when it was listed as "by" Giovanni Gagliano, and then sold at Tarisio's for half the Christie's estimate speaks volumes. Remember, most of the real experts attend the major auctions so it's pretty rare that something good slips through at a "bargain" price.
- Phil Margolis
Cozio Publishing
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