$172,000 fiddle left on bus in Philly.....lost

[Scotti Adams]

http://main.aol.com/2011/12/23/violin-left-on-bus_n_1167231.html

[Marty Henrickson]

That's a pricey fiddle!

[Ed Goist]

"...Philadelphia police say the instrument was left in an overhead bin on a Megabus late Tuesday..."

What is it with these classical music students?!
If I were put in charge of a $172,000 instrument it would NEVER leave my person...EVER.

[yankees1]

It has been found and returned to a VERY happy violinist!

[guitarpath]

For the record, the violin was found and returned.

http://www.philly.com/philly/news/20111224_A_holiday_high_note___170_000_violin_lost _and_found.html?cmpid=124488469

[Gerard Dick]

The thing would be chained to my wrist. Most arts students are long on creativity and short on logic.

[ColdBeerGoCubs]

She was to busy updating her facebook to worry about some stupid violin.

[Willie Poole]

Since she had borrowed it I hope she knew if the one returned was the real on or some old cheapie put in its place....

[yankees1]

The thing would be chained to my wrist. Most arts students are long on creativity and short on logic. MOST ?? Sort of a broad generalization, don't you think? :)

[Mandobar]

Lots of famous folks have left instruments in cabs.

[yankees1]

Never left my mandolin anywhere but----I did leave my wife at the ice cream parlor! Happen to notice her waving her arms in rear view mirror! I thought she got in the back seat as someone else was in front seat! :)

[eadg145]

Yankees1, I just laughed myself into tears (truly!) with that story. Thank you for sharing that story. It hit me just right. :))

[Rob Fowler]

Yo Yo Ma once left his Stradivarius cello in a cab...maybe in New York? It happens.....

[Rodney Riley]

Lots of famous folks have left instruments in cabs.

BB King even left "Lucille" in a cab once. :)

[John Flynn]

I like the cop's quote, "The violin case is closed, said Lt. John Walker of Southwest Detectives, who handled the case.

So if the violin case is closed, how do you know the violin is in there? :))

Seriously, I think Ms. Hsieh's sponsors should make her practice on a $50 eBay special for a few months, for some attitude adjustment.

[Jim]

Nice ending, case closed.

[mrmando]

I almost, almost, almost left my violin on an airport shuttle bus in France. There were four distractions: 1) fatigue; 2) confusion over which terminal I wanted; 3) language barrier; 4) trying to help a fellow passenger from South America figure out which terminal he wanted, which entailed another language barrier. My Spanish is better than my French but neither is very good. I got off the bus, and the driver came down to get my suitcase out of the undercarriage bin. Then he scooted back to the driver's seat and was just about to close the doors when I realized I was missing something. I shouted "Mon violon!" and climbed back into the bus to get the fiddle out of the overhead rack.

In college I left my viola in a cubbyhole at the bookstore ... either for most of a day or actually overnight, I forget the details. Fortunately it was still there when I went back.

Long years of experience have taught me that people are humans.

[Jim Garber]

in New York City, I went to play for a dance class and we stopped in the East Village and had some soup at a lunch counter. We left the restaurant and walked halfway down the street before I realized that I left my violin under the seat at the counter. i ran back there and luckily it was still there.

Another time, when I was living in Brooklyn, I cam back from an exhausting gig and parked and emptied my car and went to bed. In the morning I realized that i had put my suitcase on top of the car and left it there. Naturally, it was gone. i still wonder about those guys who stole it and what they thought when they listened to those contra dance records.

[John Rosett]

i still wonder about those guys who stole it and what they thought when they listened to those contra dance records.

Probably changed their lives forever, Jim.

[usqebach]

I'm of two minds when it comes to these "priceless" instruments. On one hand, I find it hard to believe that virtually anyone, especially at the (admittedly hugely advanced) student level needs, or feels the need to play on one of these multi-hundred thousand dollar instruments. There are many modern makers who live in the 20-40k range who make some phenomenal instruments. I personally play on a 5k+ fiddle from arguably the best American maker from the 1920's-1950s. I feel completely outclassed by such a nice instrument, and really get the heebie-jeebies when I take it out to play.

On the other hand, I guess these things are meant to be played by someone, and if this Tiawanese foundation wants to send off one of their best and brightest with it, who am I to argue?

[Ed Goist]

Jim; you bring up a great point...
Now that I think about it, I bet that most instruments on loan from benefactors (foundations, the independently wealthy, etc.) are in the ultra-premium (and super-expensive) category because these benefactors do not want to seem cheap with their loaners.
So, for many elite students/performers the choice for an instrument might be either what they personally can afford, or an ultra-premium instrument on loan from a benefactor...No middle ground.
Of course, I have no idea if this is the case, but I can sure see it being so.

[CES]

Imagining the pit in her stomach when she realized the thing was missing...

[Jim Garber]

I did a quick search on the maker of that violin and am actually surprised that it was appraised for that much. The listing in my book sounds like it was a rather mediocre maker and I find no listing for that maker in the prices realized at auction on maestronet.com.

That, of course, is beside the point, in actuality. The classical world operates on much different rules than we are used to. I would imagine that it was quite an honor for that up and coming violinist to have that violin lent to her. I do wodner tho what the organization would have thought of her if the instrument was never returned. Then again, I am sure that they have it insured and that $172,000 may be more than it is actually worth.

[Ed Goist]

The way these classical students take care of these loaners, over insuring them might be a good revenue generating strategy for the benefactors. ;)

[Elliot Luber]

This reminds me of a story. My dad is losing his hearing in his old age, and two years ago we were sitting together with my late mother-in-law at my son's high school concert when my wife started feeling ill. I asked my father to take my mother-in-law home to my house after the concert, and he said okay, but he didn't hear me a word I said. At the end of the show he said "see ya" to my mother-in-law and just left. She was embarrassed to call me on her cell phone because she knew I was busy taking care of her daughter, but of course I drove back and picked her up. She was alone in front of a darkened school. It's a good neighborhood but she was obviously a little nervous. When my dad figured out what he had done he was also embarrassed, but we all had a good laugh about it. To the next concert, which was to be her last, my mother-in-law insisted on driving. She got no arguments. When ever we leave my Dad now, someone says "see ya" and we all laugh.

[Willie Poole]

I played a gig one night and had lots of help loading the equipment back into my pickup and I took off for home and about 20 miles down the road I thought I had better make sure that my mandolin was put in the truck, it wasn`t, so I made a U turn and went back, the manager said he was waiting for me and had put the axe under the bar...It wasn`t worth 172 grand but it was the only one that I owned and it wasn`t insured at that time....

Willie

[JEStanek]

I know Philly has some bus fares that are dirt cheap (e.g., $5 one way to NYC from Philly) but you leave at 3AM or so and arrive at 5AM. With finals and everything else going on, I can totally see how this accident could have happened. I'm very happy it ended the way it did.

Jamie

[ColdBeerGoCubs]

Thats kind of ironic if you think about it. Talented young artist has 6 figure instrument put in her trust, only to be tossed on a 5 dollar bus ride at 3 oclock in the morning.

[allenhopkins]

Left a Wheatstone concertina after a gig once; one of my band-mates was "helping" me load. Now I insist on touching every single piece of my gear before I leave; makes me seem eccentric but now I know I've got everything I brought. And -- went back, concertina was still sitting where I left it, no harm on foul, but I felt terminally dumb.

Hey, if I'd found that $172K violin, I'd probably have traded it for two $81K banjos...or 344 $500 kazoos...

[Ray(T)]

This really exemplifies the state of the current US economy as the fiddle appears to have reduced in value by $2000 between the time it was lost and the time it was found!

[frshwtrbob]

...finders keepers, losers weepers.

[TonyP]

I forgot my mando, once, and it was at home. It's still embarrassing, and was a hassle as I had to borrow a mando to do the gig.

Interesting info Jim on that fiddle. I think Ed is right, they loan it to a young student, they loose it, and the foundations makes bank. What a racket, and you sound like you are doing such a wonderful service to these young players too!

[houseworker]

I did a quick search on the maker of that violin and am actually surprised that it was appraised for that much. The listing in my book sounds like it was a rather mediocre maker and I find no listing for that maker in the prices realized at auction on maestronet.com.

I know of two violins by that maker sold at auction in London. Thirty years ago one realised £25,300 at Bonhams, and a $172,000 insurance valuation today on that particular instrument would likely be a conservative one, particularly given the rarity of the maker's work.

[Bernie Daniel]

...Seriously, I think Ms. Hsieh's sponsors should make her practice on a $50 eBay special for a few months, for some attitude adjustment.

My exact thoughts John -- kind of silly. A classical violinist not used to traveling with her violin? OTOH, I bet this episode will leave long lasting impression and a good deal more care of the violin!

However, the recovery story gives more details and makes casts the young woman in a bit better light -- she was sleeping and woke just before at her stop and had other bags -- probably panicked a bit to get everything gathered up to get off. The police were pretty clever handling the case -- big pat on the back for them!! She seems like a nice person -- glad it turned out well.

[JFDilmando]

Ok... guess I have to add my escapade to this ... years and years ago, in a galaxy far away, I was a banjo player... with a beautiful Stelling Golden Cross... I had been in southern Colorado in Telluride, at the festival...driving back to Albuquerque.... stopped in the middle of nowhere in Northern New Mexico, and had to rummage around unloading stuff to get at food/drink/who knows what, and in the process took my banjo out and set it, oh so carefully, on the side of the car... long story short, drove off, down the road all the way to Albuquerque and my house before I realized banjo was sitting next to the road in Northern NM. It came to be in a vision... that case just sitting there.... one big... horrible... vision.
Drove all the way (hours) back north... and there it was.... still sitting there on the side of the road. All I can think of was that there must have been only Mandolin Players driving on that road that day...

[AlanN]

What a story.

Like the old saw: banjo picker goes to bar gig, realizes with horror he left the 5-string in the car backseat. Runs out, but too late. Someone had broken into the car and left another banjo in the backseat.

[journeybear]

Well, northern New Mexico, lots of highly evolved humans there, hippies, New Age types - too hip to bother with a banjo. :)) Seriously though, amazing story, and glad you got it back. I left my mandolin behind only once, and it too involved travel over a sizable distance. It's a long story, but it's a good yarn.

In another life, forty years ago, after high school and before college, I spent a few weeks with a travelling circus. It was a pretty goofy thing to do but it was an adventure - a bunch of them really, all rolled into one. Travelled in a convoy of trucks, sleeping in bunks as we rolled through the night to the next town. In the morning we set up the big top and bleachers, and then we were free all day until after the show, when we packed it all up and went on to the next town. True one-night stands. Sometimes some of us would go and see whatever the local downtown had to offer - but we only got paid once a week, on Sundays, so most guys didn't have much money left by the weekend and wouldn't get drunk and get left behind. Smart. ;) I started in RI, went through CT, NY, OH, and PA. We had a rare weekend stand in a town in western PA, where I heard at the pool hall about a job with a company surveying for oil and natural gas that paid a lot better, so I quit ... but I'm getting ahead of myself.

Most of the time we roustabouts (or as I liked to call ourselves, big top idiots, BTIs for short) didn't get to hang out with the performers - big class distinction. But somehow I got friendly with one of the tightrope walkers, a strikingly beautiful young woman named Dagmar, from a showbiz family in LA, where she hung out with people like the Mothers Of Invention. She had been photographed for a story that ran in National Geographic the year before, and her show stopper was a full split on the high wire. Circus royalty, she was. She must have heard me playing mandolin (Gibson A pumpkin in OHSC), and she played guitar, so we would get together in our off time and jam. We were quite the pair - she in her tight jeans and skimpy blouses and straight blonde hair with bleached streaks framing her classic Nordic features, me with my funky jeans and T-shirts and big afro - but we got along very well, very naturally. This drove the other BTIs nuts with jealousy. We worked that angle a bit for fun, even though we never ... :whistling:

But anyway, why I'm telling you all this, is to set the scene for what happened when I left. I took my big old army issue canvas rucksack, but somehow left my mandolin in the bunk truck! :disbelief: That meant I had to hitchhike over 150 miles to the next stop for the circus. This was on PA state highways, in not the friendliest territory. But I did manage to get there, got my mandolin, got yet another goodbye kiss from the lovely Miss Dagmar, and took off. Getting out of New Castle wasn't easy, and I must have been on the wrong side of town, as I got taunted by four black teenagers. Stupid me, rather than ignore them, I answered back. They crowded around me, menacingly, and soon enough one of them took a cheap shot. To my credit I responded with brains not brawn - I spun around, swinging my mandolin around to keep them away, and ran out into the middle of the street, between the lanes of traffic. They yelled at me to come out and fight. Yeah, right! After a couple of minutes a guy with his family in a station wagon in the far lane pulled over and got me out of there. So I can say with a straight face that my mandolin saved my life. ;) And I have made sure ever since that I don't leave it behind. I have seen what can happen if I do.

[Ed Goist]

JB; what a fantastic, classic, real-life tale of youthful adventure!
Awesome saga...This would make a great movie!
BTW; I grew up and still live about 30 minutes from New Castle, PA.

[mrmando]

banjo was sitting next to the road in Northern NM. ... All I can think of was that there must have been only Mandolin Players driving on that road that day...
No, if there had been any mandolin players on the road, they'd have run over the thing.

[journeybear]

No, if there had been any mandolin players on the road, they'd have run over the thing.

:))

Thanks, Ed. I still have a hard time believing I left my mandolin behind and what I had to go through to get it back - and of course, how glad I was it was still where I had left it. But all in all, I look back at some of the things I did back then, and have to wonder where the gumption to do them came from. Must have been headstrong youthful recklessness, or perhaps just a belief in life's possibilities. ;)

[retroman]

A 1732 Stradivarius, owned by UCLA but on loan to a prominent player, was apparently left on the roof of his car in 1967, and lost. 27 years later it was found in the possession of an amateur, who said he found it on the freeway. It was finally returned, after some money changed hands...

[houseworker]

A 1732 Stradivarius, owned by UCLA but on loan to a prominent player, was apparently left on the roof of his car in 1967, and lost. 27 years later it was found in the possession of an amateur, who said he found it on the freeway. It was finally returned, after some money changed hands...

This (http://online.wsj.com/public/resources/documents/pearl101794.htm) adds some detail.

[allenhopkins]

This adds some detail.

And this (http://www.music.ucla.edu/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1525:daily-bruin-explores-history-of-uclas-stradivarius&catid=36&Itemid=225) article from the Daily Bruin says the Strad's back in the UCLA music department vault, after "a settlement" with the woman who had it in her possession.

[Beanzy]

Never left my mandolin anywhere but----I did leave my wife at the ice cream parlor! Happen to notice her waving her arms in rear view mirror! I thought she got in the back seat as someone else was in front seat! :)

Sometime in the late '50s my dad drove off from the lights on his Norton bike without my mum who was suposed to be riding pillion.
She'd got up to rearrange her skirt and he's not noticed. He was at the end of the next street when he realised. At least you don't have to explain yourself to a violin.