Violin Fraud

A guide for people who own stringed instruments, or are interested in buying and selling them, this book aims to detect the background of fraudulent activity in the world of stringed instruments. It points out pitfalls and highlights areas of law relating to the field.

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Instruments of the violin family are well known to be exceptionally valuable if they are the work of an Italian master such as Stradiveri or Guarneri. Unfortunately, in common with many other antique articles of value, the forger, the defrauder and the thief operate conspicuously in the world of the violin. Labels are altered, certificates of origin are spuriously created, new instruments are even made and disguised to look old, with the features of an old master reproduced. Buyers, dealers and even auction houses have made mistakes. Many people who own instruments, or are interested in buying, want to know more about the danger and the pitfalls, and about the case-histories of previous disasters. The law itself is widely misunderstood and its ambit not appreciated. Those who contravene the law risk actions for civil damages as well as criminal prosecution, primarily by the ever more vigilant Trading Standards Departments of local authorities. It is the intention of this book to detect the background to this fraudulent activity and to explain how the law applies to it.
Much of what is said applies to the antiques world generally, but there are specific and pressing problems relating to stringed instruments with which this book is particularly concerned. It should be of interest to collectors, dealers, auctioners, lawyers concerned with antiques, Trading Standards officers and violin teachers and players.