It is not easy to state the exact price of a violin, especially of an old one, and here particular fancy and habit come also into the question. The best old Italian violins, such as those by Stradivarius and Guarnerius, are in our own time excessively dear, often £300 to £1000, and even more. Stradivarius received for his violins about 4 Louis d’or. Amati violins are considerably less, costing from £150 to £300. Other old Italian violins, if in fine condition, cost £30 and upwards. New violins by celebrated makers may cost from £15 to £30, yet one can often get a very useful instrument for from 50/- upwards.
Prices of Violin cases.
Cases cost from 5/- to £3, the latter price including a leather covering.
Prices of bows.
The bows of Tourte now cost £25 and upward. New silver mounted bows of best quality cost about 30/-, mounted in German silver about 18/-. Inferior qualities may be had from 3/- upward. The worth of a bow to its possessor consists in its firmness and elasticity, and in its proving fit to execute every kind of bowing with certainty.
Care of the instrument.
The instrument must always be kept clean and in order; every part should always be in proper condition. The dust from the resin must, every time after playing, be wiped from the upper table, fingerboard and bridge with a soft cloth. The strings, fingerboard and neck are then rubbed with an old silk handkerchief, taking care not to rub the strings to and fro, but always in one direction, else small fibres may be loosened. If the strings are dirty through perspiring fingers, the upper three strings may be rubbed with a little neats’ foot oil or almond oil, or a notched almond may be used. The G string may be cleaned with spirits or by rubbing with fine (No. 1) glass paper. The encrustation of resin upon the surface of the strings may be removed with spirits, observing that nothing drops upon the upper table, to injure the varnish.
To keep the neck quite smooth it may be occasionally rubbed with pulverized pumice stone put into a little muslin bag.[10]
The dust that accumulates inside the violin may be removed by warming some very fine gravel or grains of wheat, and throwing them inside. The instrument is then shaken about, and on shaking the grains out again through the f holes, the dust comes away also. To make the pegs work easily and yet hold fast, they must frequently be rubbed with dry soap and then with chalk, where they come in contact with the peg box.