Valuations

A reliable insurance valuation will give you excellent piece of mind, should your precious instrument or bow get damaged or stolen.

 

 

If something bad does happen, you, the owner, are often at a loss to describe these unique possessions – there are no code numbers or even brands, once the value climbs over the low thousand-dollar mark. But with our detailed valuation in your files, you can rest easy.

So what makes our valuations so reliable?

Over the last 44 years, Cath Newhook has drawn on her training as a historian to examine, describe and value many thousands of violins. As part of this process, we have purchased the most authoritative books on violin and bow makers available, giving the Stringed Instrument Company a fantastic in-house reference library, supplemented by the best online resources we can subscribe to.

The result, driven by Cath’s meticulous and rigorous approach, is New Zealand’s leading valuation service. Our valuations are accepted by insurance companies throughout New Zealand and by overseas insurers such as Lark in the UK.

We offer written valuations for insurance purposes, with a minimum one-hour charge. This charge can sometimes increase if further research is needed. We will always discuss any extra cost with you first, if we think it might be required.

If we are looking to sell your instrument or bow for you, or you want to know if it’s worth repairing or restoring, we can also value it for you as part of the assessment process. This can range from a simple verbal assessment of value, at no extra cost, to a fully-researched written report, priced according to the time taken.