It now comes to light that Dietmar Machold, a
respected dealer in fine instruments is under investigation for supposedly
dealing fraudulently with buyers and sellers. He had offices all over the world and was well-known among high-end dealers. He was known as Mr. Stradivarius and had built his business very quickly. His father used to be a violin maker. Spiegel Online has a rather comprehensive article about Machold's troubles, if you can make time to read it. I wrote a story about Joseph Tang a few
months ago and mentioned at that time that his victims had at least not suffered
huge losses because they had not dealt in high-end instruments. Dietmar Machold appears to be the Major
League version of Joseph Tang. He has
been accused of perpetrating frauds to the tune of $35,000,000, selling fakes
or inflating prices, or simply not paying owners for instruments he sold which
had been placed with him on a consignment basis. Some sources speculate that the swindles were
in excess of $100,000,000. I wouldn’t
know. The New Jersey Symphony was
allegedly one of his victims. A European
bank made him loans of more than $4,000,000 which were secured by instruments purportedly
worth a lot more than $4,000,000 but whose real value was closer to $5,000. By the way, I am still very much of the opinion
that the so-called Messiah Stradivarius is a fake. It sits in a British Museum (the Ashmolean) away
from any and all scrutiny. I have very little
respect for dealers who have everything to gain by issuing certificates of
authenticity and giving opinions of value on violins they sell. In fact, I prefer new violins to old, be they
Guarnerius, Stradivarius, or Guadagnini. Fritz Reuter knows. Sunday, May 27, 2012
Dietmar Machold
It now comes to light that Dietmar Machold, a
respected dealer in fine instruments is under investigation for supposedly
dealing fraudulently with buyers and sellers. He had offices all over the world and was well-known among high-end dealers. He was known as Mr. Stradivarius and had built his business very quickly. His father used to be a violin maker. Spiegel Online has a rather comprehensive article about Machold's troubles, if you can make time to read it. I wrote a story about Joseph Tang a few
months ago and mentioned at that time that his victims had at least not suffered
huge losses because they had not dealt in high-end instruments. Dietmar Machold appears to be the Major
League version of Joseph Tang. He has
been accused of perpetrating frauds to the tune of $35,000,000, selling fakes
or inflating prices, or simply not paying owners for instruments he sold which
had been placed with him on a consignment basis. Some sources speculate that the swindles were
in excess of $100,000,000. I wouldn’t
know. The New Jersey Symphony was
allegedly one of his victims. A European
bank made him loans of more than $4,000,000 which were secured by instruments purportedly
worth a lot more than $4,000,000 but whose real value was closer to $5,000. By the way, I am still very much of the opinion
that the so-called Messiah Stradivarius is a fake. It sits in a British Museum (the Ashmolean) away
from any and all scrutiny. I have very little
respect for dealers who have everything to gain by issuing certificates of
authenticity and giving opinions of value on violins they sell. In fact, I prefer new violins to old, be they
Guarnerius, Stradivarius, or Guadagnini. Fritz Reuter knows. 
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If you really want to learn much more about fraud committed by violin dealers, I encourage you to visit Fritz Reuter's fascinating site. A link is over on the right hand side of this blog.
ReplyDeleteDietmar Machold was never at anytime 'respected' by any other 'major' violin dealer, and those who worked for him (in Germany when he first 'set up shop') soon found themselves in what they've described (as posted online in violin related chatrooms)rather undesireable circumstances. I knew personally a man, now deceased, who once worked as 'top salesman' in Machold's NYC office and several other dealers in NYC as well. The things I learned from this individual, about the inner workings of the high end instrument trade, were absolutely disgusting. Fraudulent deals involving stolen instruments and perversion of their truthful provenances and, other deceitful practices have been rampant for well over 150 years, but more so since WWII ended. Fritz Rueter truly deserves credit for helping to expose such practices, but even he has 'skeletons' hanging in his closet. The only honest violin appraiser/restoration expert/master luthier I have ever come across is Gerard (Jed) Murphy, director of Atelierviolins, in Bushey, right outside of London, UK. Anyone who knows Jed personally, or professionally, will ascertain the veracity of my comments.
ReplyDeleteI truly appreciate your comment. Those of us on the "outside" of the business are not privy to what goes on but can only imagine. I know many, many violinists who still hold to the notion that Hill, Beare, Lyon, and all the others are a notch below sainthood. Indeed, I know a dealer who swore one of my violins was not genuine when, in fact, it was. I shall endeavor to research Gerard Murphy. It will be a pleasure.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your response, I very much enjoy reading your blog. Truthful people, at any 'position' within the trade, are almost non existent. Those 'famous, highly respected, world renowned dealers'- who should know something about the identification of old master instruments- have demonstrated (to me personally) everything but competence. One 'expert opinion' cannot justify a direct contradiction of another 'expert opinion' (without showing just cause--with incontrovertible proof) and, make it stand in a Court of Law. I've been through the same scenario as you, several times, and I am NOT afraid of publishing names, even though 3 (three) of them are now dead.
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