Attention Violists!

Brompton's June sale includes one of the finest Italian violas to come to auction in over a decade. This rare example by Pietro Mantegazza, bearing an original label dated Milan 1772, is in a fine state of preservation and liberally covered in original varnish.LOB: 16 1/8ins

Estimate: £80,000 - £120,000

It has for many years been the prized possession of a professional violist, now retired. The Viola originally came to the owner through W.E.Hill & Sons and bears their registration number.

Fagnola violin locked and forgotten in a case since 1958!

The owner of this violin by Annibale Fagnola, made in Turin in 1930, last saw his violin in 1958 when he locked the case after playing it for the last time. Moving forward over fifty years to the day he brought a locked case to one of our UK appraisal days, the owner explained that he had lost the key to his rather battered but heavy old wooden case, and did I have any way of opening it? Upon being asked what was inside he couldn't remember...

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