Violin Fraud: Deception, Forgery, Theft, and Lawsuits in England and America 2nd Edition

This book is a fascinating read for anyone not well-versed in the customs of the violin world. The history of violin fraud, misrepresentation and false labeling is given with illustrations to famous violins, dealers and makers. Violin theft is also covered, as well as the differences between English common law, and that of the Germanic laws that are lenient to bona fide buyers of stolen goods. There is also the fascinating stories of famous violin legal cases, including the George Chanot civil case, the Balfour Strad and the entire account of the Gibson/ex Huberman Strad that was stolen in the 1920s, and how it was recovered. More mundane issues like teacher commissions/kickbacks are also covered as well as misrepresentation, disparage/defamation of other makers, shops. It is written by lawyers and even though there is a lot of technical discussion of the law, it reads well. What is eye-opening is that many makers, dealers, teachers and shops may be unaware what they are legally responsible for. For example, if someone walks into your store and asks you what a certain violin he inherited was worth, you cannot just give him a lowball price because in America there is a law against nondisclosure of facts (pp 120-123) if the defendant has exclusive knowledge of material facts not known or reasonably accessible to the plaintiff (person who inherited an instrument and knows nothing). Teachers (Chapter 16) are supposed to disclose if they have a commission or kickback relationship with a shop. What is shocking is that a reader who is well-informed on how the violin world operates, will see that many of the actions and premises that world function on may not be supported in law. This ranges on issues of commissions, defamation, misrepresentation, nondisclosure to the legal standing of historical certificates. Negligent misrepresentation or even an incorrect 'opinion' may expose one for a claim of misrepresentation, hence all the disclaimers on violin certificates.

Very good

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