stradivarius versus the german industrial revolution: on the production of heirlooms
it's almost a given that someone new is bound to come to our shop every week and say, "i think i found a strad violin in [an estate sale, a neighbor's garage sale, my attic], how much do you think it's worth?" and every week, the boss lady examines their instrument and gives the same appraisal, "this is a german factory copy made in the early 1900's. these are very common, not preserved well, and not worth fixing. the cost of repairs will exceed the instrument's worth."
most people take the news in good humor. everyone knows there are plenty of fake strads out there and they don't come in expecting too much. it's like buying a powerball ticket; there's the faint hope you might win but no one seriously believes it. and then there are those who take it terribly. these are the people who have been holding onto these instruments for years, cherishing them as the valuable inheritance of their ancestors. for them, my boss's revelation is more than a letdown of some get rich quick fantasy, it is a family myth shattered. one such woman came into our shop today. she got very upset when the boss gave her the usual 'german factories' spiel and kept insisting that this could not be possible. her great-grandfather had brought it with him from the old country and "if great grandpa rigoberto came in 1820, and this instrument is dated at 1890, how could he have brought it over from italy...?" well, obviously he didn't bring it. but how are you going to tell a frail unstable old woman that? my boss managed to diffuse the impending meltdown by saying, "maybe it is older than the 1890's, but it certainly isn't a stradivarius and it certainly isn't worth much.
it's kind of funny to wonder what kind of heirlooms your grandchildren will think are important sixty years from now...which items will be embroidered with sentimental value and which items will end up in the south dakotan junk shops.
edit: so upon rereading this entry a few hours later, i am struck by how 'readers digest' it is. ugh.
most people take the news in good humor. everyone knows there are plenty of fake strads out there and they don't come in expecting too much. it's like buying a powerball ticket; there's the faint hope you might win but no one seriously believes it. and then there are those who take it terribly. these are the people who have been holding onto these instruments for years, cherishing them as the valuable inheritance of their ancestors. for them, my boss's revelation is more than a letdown of some get rich quick fantasy, it is a family myth shattered. one such woman came into our shop today. she got very upset when the boss gave her the usual 'german factories' spiel and kept insisting that this could not be possible. her great-grandfather had brought it with him from the old country and "if great grandpa rigoberto came in 1820, and this instrument is dated at 1890, how could he have brought it over from italy...?" well, obviously he didn't bring it. but how are you going to tell a frail unstable old woman that? my boss managed to diffuse the impending meltdown by saying, "maybe it is older than the 1890's, but it certainly isn't a stradivarius and it certainly isn't worth much.
it's kind of funny to wonder what kind of heirlooms your grandchildren will think are important sixty years from now...which items will be embroidered with sentimental value and which items will end up in the south dakotan junk shops.
edit: so upon rereading this entry a few hours later, i am struck by how 'readers digest' it is. ugh.