A 17th century violoncello leads Christie’s sale of musical instruments later this week. Estimated at $200,000-$300,000, the vintage fiddle, circa 1690, is the work of Milanese craftsman Giovanni Grancino, who around the same time also produced the next highest valued item in the auction, a violin for which Christie’s anticipates a price of $150,000-$250,000.
Update: The Grancino instruments failed to find a buyer at the auction, where the highest selling lot was the Hermann Hauser guitar, which realized $152,500, slightly above its high estimate.
A more contemporary creation likely to draw attention from collectors is a 1940 guitar made by the German born Hermann Hauser (1882-1952). Hauser is often associated with virtuoso Andres Segovia, who favored his guitars. This particular one is estimated at $100,000-$150,000.
Read more at Christie’s.
