When I was a kid (around 1960) my father had a violin that was his mothers or grandmothers, I dont know much about it but I do know that it was beautiful, I think the makers name started with an M I cant quite remember it was so long ago, but I do remember my father going to an appraiser and the man telling him it wasnt worth much because it was a M------- not a stradivarious, and then buying it off of him for a few hundred. Does anyone know of an old violin makers name that started with an M? I know it will just make me angry but I want to know if my father was ripped off.

I just remembered the name it didnt start with a name it was called gwenivarious (is that how its spelled?)

I meant it didnt start with an m

So, you can`t read the label in the f-hole?

Do you mean Guarnarius? It`s most likely a copy if you do. Real Guarneris are worth a lot. (like hundred thousands to millions)

It was real, the appraiser my dad saw said so (plus it had been in our family for a long time belonging to my great grandmother), but he told my father it wasnt worth anything only stradivarius was worth a lot.

I never was allowed to touch it so I had no time to look in the f hole..plus this was around 40 years ago anyways..

Is there a difference between Guarnarius and Guarneris? I recently had my grandfather`s violin looked at and the guy said that it was "only a Guarnarius from Germany" and not a Strativarius. He only offered $300. I`m trying to find out if this is truly a Guarnarius or not, b/c I feel it would be worth a whole lot more. Is there a definitive mark or something that would tell me what it truly is?

It won`t be a Guanerius. It`s hardly more likely to be a guanerius than a violin labelled Stradivaius is likely to be a real Stradivarius. The only way to be sure is to take it to a top appraiser (and that will probably cost), though uploading detailed photos to maestronet and asking for opinions might get you somewhere. Still, frankly you`ve probably got as much chance of winning the lottery as of finding a real Guanerius in the attic.

Liz

When the appraiser said "it`s only a Guarnerius from Germany" what it was likely he meant was it was a copy of a Guarnerius from Germany. The Stradivarius and Guarnerius models of violins are the most often copied, and the rage in the early twentieth century was to put "fake" labels inside. These will more than likely read something like:

Antonius Straduarius Cremona faciebat Anno 1723
or
Joseph Guarnerius fecit : Cremona Anno 1716

Whilst these are not as expensive as real Strads or Guarnerius` some can be very fine violins (Mine is a German copy of a Guanerius). If you are just wanting to buy and sell violins then you are unlikely to ever get more than £1000 for a violin like this, but if you are interested in getting a good sounding violin then don`t dismiss these out of hand because they are not Strads etc.

I have a violin that was my grandfather`s. In the f-hole it says Stradivarius 1743. My grandfather supposedly brought it back from Europe during WWI. How would I tell or who could I contact to see it it is if value?

Stradivarius died in 1737, so your violin is a copy. That said, it might be worth something ($50-$1000) if it has a decent sound. Ask a local music shop where you could get it appraised, or look in the yellow pages for a luthier (someone who makes and/or repairs violins).