Two Loars in May Skinner Auction

[Michael Gowell]

According to a post on the "Old Time" forum, the May instrument auction in Boston at Skinners will include 2 Loars. #The post claimed the catalog was posted online today (4/12) but the link I tried was dead. #Anyone have a valid link? #Anyone know what other interesting instruments will be up for auction? #Anyone in Boston able to drop by Skinners & give us a report?

[ab4usa]

Try Here and it's lots 37 and 56
http://www.skinnerinc.com/asp....2274+++ (http://www.skinnerinc.com/asp/search.asp?pg=1&st=D&sale_no=2274+++)

[Tim]

Those lots are on pages 4 and 6

[mikeyes]

The estimated prices look a little low but there is a significant add on price that goes to Skinner. Even so, their estimation of the banjo prices is very low, maybe one third of the end price. Too bad they don't have a "Buy it Now" at those prices <G>

[Tom C]

The estimated sale prices are always low. I've never seen anybody brag about the great deal they got at Skinners. When you look to see what they actually went for, it's at least the going rate. If the F-4 is in excellent condition there are many people willing to overpay for it. As I have said in the past...there are lots of people with lots of money out there. Not me though.

[harmonist34]

Those banjo prices are definitely way off. I'd guess even less than a third of the final ending price on a few of them. That's an amazing assortment of instruments, any way you look at it. How often do they have big auctions like this?

Andy

[kudzugypsy]

they probably do that (low estimated sale price) to attract bidders, kind of like the $1 ebay starting bid. you want action at an auction, that is what gets the price up. i wouldnt put anything into those estimates.

this will be interesting.....my theory in the american musical instrument market explosion is that it has gone to the speculators. you have people with money that need to put it to use making a good return. they arent getting that in the stock markets or bonds, cds - they are finding it in real estate and high end collectibles (no, i'm not talking beanie babies and nascar diecast cars) - more like 60's muscle cars and premium vintage string instruments - there is an EXCELLENT article by none other than george 'guru' gruhn on his latest monthly newsletter outlining this very topic. you can check it out on his web site, its really a must read for people interested in these things.

alright, so what are the guesses for the loars? i will stick my neck out and say they will go LOW (ie $110K-115K) this would be gavel price, before commissions....i dont see em pushing 150K yet...(thats YET).

[SternART]

So......is that first one, a Fern Loar? What's with the fingerboard & truss rod cover inlay?
Added later or custom from Gibson? What does that do to the potential value?

[evanreilly]

Skinner's has set the high prices on their prior auctions of Lloyd Loar mandolins.
I believe their last one went for $88K. I'd guess that these two might double that figure. Last reliable (private) sale price I heard about was in that neighborhood.
In addition to the 'hammer price' Skinner's takes a percentage as a 'buer's fee' and charges sales tax.

[Michael Gowell]

So what are the percentages of final hammer price for Skinner's fee to buyer and Massachusett's sales tax? #I seem to recall a discussion on these points a year ago.

[Rich Michaud]

The last one went for above $130,000 after you add all the add on fees. There is a premium scale on the Skinner site. Also, the last Skinner auction was expanded to be simultaneously on EBAY-with a 5% kicker extra cost to bidders. However, it is fun to watch when it takes place. The best deal in town is to go to Skinner's on Fri or Sat (more crowded on Sat) and simply play the instruments. I have done that for several years and have played a few Loars that way for a number of hours. As far as sale prices-there are usually no bargains. Bidders buy sight unseen. I have played instruments at lengh, checked them out from a player/collector point of view and seen them sold at prices that just do not make sense even relative to the current market. My guess is that the Loars will go for 115-125k. Rich M.

[danb]

One of them is not previously known to the f5 journal as well, always fun to see a new Loar (how long can this run last?)

[fatt-dad]

I just want the f4. . . . Heck, I'd go all the way up to $2,400.00.

f-d

[Dan Adams]

The 'estimated' prices do look low for not only mandos but for a few guitboxes I viewed. A 69' rosewood Martin D-28 for between $2,800 and $3,500? There's one in town here that is listed for $5,000? Its mystery to me?

I bid $25,000 for the Fern Loar! Dan

[danb]

Yes, I believe it's normal procedure for an auction house to estimate the lowest price something could possibly go for so the seller isn't dissappointed if the three expected top bidders all have catastrophic bidding problems on the day.

Always some interesting stuff at these, but unlikely to be any huge bargains on the few mandos they have.

[Darryl Wolfe]

The Fern Loar was owned by Benny Cain. #It is pictured somewhere in the Loar Pic Of Day Thread along with a D-45. #It's been so long since I've seen it (1967) that I can't say for sure whether the F/B inlays are original or not. #I think not, however Gibson did use that inlay prior to Loar production and again in the 70's. #The other one is indeed a new number, I know nothing about it. #The color brochure that Skinner send out has them both pictured side by side. #The finish and sunburst shape are virtually identical. #I've actually never seen two Loars that are so close in appearance. #I would venture to say that the same person stained them side by side on the same day within minutes of each other. Generally two Loars from similar batches are easily distinguishable from one another by the shape of the sunburst, streak lines and such.

[Andrew Reckhart]

Anybody need a bow? They only have about a hundred or so!

[Tom C]

You may be suprised by how much bows go for. It is not uncommon for them to be worth more than the fiddle itself.

[evanreilly]

I correct myself; I believe it was two auctions ago that Skinner auctioned off a Loar for $88K, more or less. I went out and gave that one a good look-over; didn't play it because it was down 3 strings and needed a bit of work. But it still had the pricetag in the case, along with some period strings and a tiny little TS flatpick.
The screws on the tuners still had their original bluing; overall the instrument was almost mint condition. My pockets were not deep enough, however.

[neal]

Tom, I was reading a Smithsonian magazine that talked about Pernambuco, the wood that's used for fine bows, and it enlightened me to just how important certain woods are in the sound reproduction equation. But the prices for a bow!?!? Man, you could buy a Gilchrist.....

[TeleMark]

Can I put my name on that `52 Tele?

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