Collect the Orchestra: Instruments of Renown

By Judy Gonyeau, managing editor

On February 7 of this year, a 311-year-old Stradivarius violin sold for $11.25 million at Sotheby’s New York. This is not the auction news you get every day, and this sale reinvigorated the interest in classical antique and vintage instruments.

In the world of collectors of orchestral instruments, this auction result also comes bearing some sad news: it did not reach the record books for a Stradivarius. Does that mean the values for such instruments have gone down? Yes, and no.

Filling the Music Stage

Taking a look at the bare bones of any Orchestra, you will encounter four basic categories of instruments:
• Strings: including violins, violas, cellos, and double bases;
• Woodwinds: flute, oboe, clarinet, and bassoon;
• Brass: trumpet, French horn, trombone, and tuba;
• Percussion: timpani/drums, cymbals, and the triangle – anything that can make a rhythmic noise.

Together, these incredible works of musical art and craft blend to offer the sound, emotion, and atmosphere directed by the conductor. But each artist buys and owns their own instruments, or they have a permanent “loan” to use a certain instrument, while the investment in the instrument and its ownership stay with the buyer.

Values of these instruments can range from under $100 to well into the millions of dollars. Some instruments, particularly those made by renowned luthiers or with historical significance, can be extremely valuable.

For Your Consideration

When looking at an instrument to invest in or simply use as a decorative talking point in your home, the selection can be endless. Here are some things to consider when choosing an instrument for a collection:

• Instrument Type: Choose an instrument you can afford and that fits your aesthetic.

• Age and History: Antique instruments by the right maker can make all the difference in what you pay. Tie a great maker with a great player, and you have a winning combo for valuation. And don’t overlook the accessories. You may find an elderly violin that draws your eye, but don’t forget to look at the case (if it’s there) and the bow, which can sometimes be more valuable than the violin. In 2015, Beares Auction in London set a new record for selling the most expensive bow. The
silver and ebony mounted violin bow, made by Francois Xavier Tourte, was purchased for $288,960.

• Condition: Check to make sure an older piece is complete, and what restoration may need to happen in order to have it playable. You may find a good quality item that, with a restorer’s touch, can become a worthwhile investment.

• Provenance: The story of a particular instrument—past owners, where it originated, where it has traveled, how it got into your hands, or if there is a signature on the item—can add value but also add something special even if it is not the “best” piece: a good story.

Different Instruments, Different Pricing, Musical Value

Cello: The Instrument Place shares the history of the cello this way: “The cello first emerged in Northern Italy in the first half of the 16th century in the workshops of famous instrument makers like Andrea Amati and Gasparo da Salo. This family evolved from the viola da braccio, an instrument that was held aloft in the arm, played with a bow, and bore a strong resemblance to today’s violin.

“Over time, the superior design and enhanced volume of the violoncello, now nicknamed the ‘cello,’ made it the instrument of choice despite the popularity of the gamba instruments. During the Renaissance, the size of orchestras expanded, and there was a race to deliver louder and louder instruments in compensation.”

Famous classical cello players include Yo-Yo Ma, Jacqueline du Pre, Zara Nelsova, Johann Sebastian Paetsch, and Maurice Gendron, to name just a few. Also, rock/pop bands that have featured the cello include Led Zeppelin, the Beatles, ELO, Genesis, and Pink Floyd, Aerosmith, and Panic at the Disco. The cello solo in the song “She’s Leaving Home” from the Beatles’ 1965 album Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band was played by Paul McCartney.

A 1743 “Ex-Havemeyer” Guadagnini cello sold for $1.5 million in May 2016, setting two world records: the highest price paid for a Guadagnini at auction, and the highest price a cello has ever achieved at Tarisio Auctions. Previously belonging to the American industrialist and entrepreneur, the cello is now played by a leading US soloist.

Flute: A Verne Q. Powell flute, serial no. 365 is said to be the most expensive flute in the world. The flute was made for the 1939 New York World’s Fair, where it was displayed behind glass and secured around the clock by armed guards.

After the fair, it was purchased by renowned flutist William Kincaid. Kincaid is considered one of the most influential teachers and players in the U.S. He is indeed considered by many to have been the patriarch of American flutists.

Kincaid used Powell #365 until he passed away at the age of 71 in 1967. Shortly before his death, he handed down the flute to one of his star pupils, Elaine Shaffer. Ms. Shaffer was a trailblazer of sorts. After holding the second flute position in the Kansas City Philharmonic (1947-1948), she landed in the principal chair at Houston (1948-1953). This was at a time when women were just beginning to get orchestral positions.

Powell #365 was sold to Stuart Pivar at a Christie’s Auction in 1986 for $187,000. Noted art collector, sometimes musician, and now controversial author (Lifecodes), Pivar competed for the flute with an investment banker, who wanted to buy it for his 12-year-old daughter. Pivar became the proud owner of Powell #365, which is a .010” wall platinum flute with Sterling silver keys. It has an in-line G, B foot, and has French open-hole keys. The flute was painstakingly engraved by Verne Powell with the Trylon & Perisphere logo of the ‘39 World’s Fair. The flute currently resides at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, where it is on loan. It is on display in their Musical Instrument Collection.

Clarinet: The International Clarinet Association explains the instrument’s history this way: The clarinet was first invented by Johann Denner. Denner was an instrument maker from Nuremberg, Germany. It all began in the late 1600s when Denner had the idea to create a pipe (French: chalumeau). However, after noticing how short the range of the instrument was, Denner decided to make the chalumeau longer. This allowed musicians to reach higher notes by playing partials, thus extending the instrument’s range. The first time the clarinet was used in an orchestral setting was in Vivaldi’s Juditha Triumphans, which was written in around 1715 or 1716 (Niu.edu). The beginning of an instrument that would signal the start of Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue, make the Nutcracker come alive, and bring out the passion in Verdi’s Aida.

Benny Goodman’s Clarinet, sold for 28,600 (including buyer’s premium) at Heritage Auction in 2007. Dubbed “The King of Swing,” Benny Goodman’s arrival on the music scene heralded the beginning of the Swing era. Mostly remembered as a band leader, Goodman was also a clarinet virtuoso with a distinctive style.

Arguably the most technically proficient Jazz clarinetist of his time, he played the instrument for decades until his death in New York City in 1986 at the age of 77, and in the process inspired many budding musicians to take up the instrument. This Selmer Paris K Series Bb clarinet was made between 1930 and 1931 and was purchased by Goodman in New York City in the spring of 1932, according to Goodman’s insurance records. Also included in the auction lot was an original 8” x 10” of Goodman playing the clarinet with his pianist, Teddy Wilson.

 

Trumpet: From Yamaha.com – “The origins of the trumpet can be traced back several thousand years. However, since the primitive trumpets were rudimentary wind instruments that the player sounded simply by moving his lips, they cannot clearly be distinguished from the forerunners of the horn, on which sound is produced in the same way.

“Trumpets of old were made from various materials, including wood, bamboo, bark, clay, human bone, and metal. Found on every continent, they are thought to have been used in religious ceremonies and sorcery.”

Christie’s Auctions said a trumpet designed and played by Miles Davis, one of the most significant jazz musicians of all time, sold for $275,000—a record for a trumpet at auction—in the firm’s Exceptional Sale on October 29, 2019, exceeding its $70/100,000 estimate. The “Martin Committee” Trumpet B♭, model T3460, by the Martin Co., was commissioned circa 1980 and features a deep blue lacquer and gilt crescent moon and stars, designed according to Davis’s specifications.

Called the “Moon and Stars” trumpet, it exemplified not only superb craftsmanship but also marked a crucial moment in Davis’s career, as he made his long-awaited return to music.

In a performing and recording career of almost 50 years, Miles Davis produced many critically acclaimed albums, and Kind of Blue, recorded in just two sessions in 1959, remains the best-selling jazz album of all time. Davis was called by some “the Picasso of Jazz” for cultivating a distinctive sound while also remaining continuously hungry for new musical expression, picking up new audiences along the way. Davis died in 1991.

Trombone: According to Yamaha.com, the trombone was first made and played during the 15th century. It was originally called a “saqueboute” or “sackbut” in English, taken from the word “saquer,” which means to draw out (like a sword).

“Trombones have been used in a variety of situations, including the courts of aristocrats, churches, and in military bands. However, beginning in the 18th century, the instrument was seldom used in secular music. Instead, it was used much more often in religious situations, such as in church. … Beethoven was the first to use trombones-until that point seen as religious instruments-in a secular symphony. ‘Symphony No. 5 in C minor, Op. 67’ (‘Fate’), first played in 1808, was the first symphony in which a trombone was used.”

The modern trombone family has five main members: contrabass, bass, tenor, alto, and soprano. These instruments are known for their contributions to orchestras, jazz music, and rock and pop music, too. Famous classical trombone players include Joseph Alessi, Alain Trudel, Denis Wick, Ian Bousfield, Abby Conant, and Ralph Sauer.

The most expensive trombones feature an F attachment. “Only the high-end bass trombone with dual triggers can occasionally exceed the $10,000 mark,” according to digitaltrombone.com.

 

Tuba: Unlike other centuries-old instruments played in orchestras, the first Tuba is relatively young, made first on September 12, 1835, by German military bandmaster Wilhelm Wieprecht and musical instrument inventor Johann Moritz. Tubas are brass instruments with the lowest tonal range, but they have slight variations. In addition to different possible structures, the four main pitches are F, E♭, C, and B♭. The baritone, euphonium, and sousaphone (developed by John Philip Sousa) are also companions of the tuba.

Chicago Symphony Orchestra’s principal tuba player, Gene Pokorny, is lauded as one of the finest players of all time. Numerous sources say that if the 19th century Chicago York tuba played by Pokorny is ever sold at auction, it would likely fetch around $100,000.

Timpani/Drums: Timpani evolved from military drums to become a staple of the classical orchestra by the last third of the 18th century. Today, they are used in many types of ensembles, including concert bands, marching bands, orchestras, and even some rock bands. Timpani are distinct from other percussion instruments because they are tuned and can produce melodic and harmonic sounds. They are known for their commanding timbre, often used for an “announcement” or as thunder in many symphonies. There are even a few solo Concertos written for timpani.

There are a variety of timpani, including Chain timpani where a roller chain like one found on a bicycle circumvents the timpani and connecting the tension screws), Pedal timpani, and Basic timpani. Typically sold in pairs or as a set of four, specific auction values can fluctuate; some examples of recent sales show timpani sets fetching anywhere from a few hundred dollars to several thousand dollars. The value of timpani at auction is often tied to the instrument’s historical significance, craftsmanship, and rarity.

Cymbals: As told by the Vienna Symphonic Library, “in the orchestra the pair of cymbals is used chiefly to stress important musical accents, but it can also be used as a quiet rhythm instrument in the background, together with the bass drum, for example.” The largest cymbals in the pit are called “Crash” or “Bell” cymbals. There are also finger cymbals, Hi-hats, Rice cymbals, and Splash cymbals, among others. These were also started around 3,000 BC. Size can go from hand-held to large “gong” style cymbals. According to drummagazine.com, “While modern-day cymbals can be heard in classical music, rock, jazz, Latin, and pretty much any other Western style of music, their predecessors were used by beggars to attract the attention of potential benefactors, to celebrate weddings, to add luster to orgies, to tell bees to come back to their hives, and to worship gods.”

While ancient cymbals can range from $50 to $5,000, condition and provenance are the key to higher values. There is an antique Zildjian crash cymbal in good condition selling for $2,510. It was previously owned by the Syncopated Sisters in Southern California during the Roaring ’20s.

 

 

 

May 2025: Collecting Music