Here to stay...

The Science of Dencrochronology is now considered by many to be the single most important and objective addition to the thorough appraisal of instruments of the violin family.

In the specialist field of Dendro-organology,  the tests are not only based on the comparison of the tree-ring pattern of the instrument against the published geographical references available, but also to thousands of other ring patterns found on the soundboards of other instruments.

"Dendro" is now used and relied upon by many of the World's authorities in Violin Expertise, collectors, dealers and Musical Instruments Auction houses. In many cases, it  offers reassurance and peace of mind to sellers and buyers alike.

Thousands of dendrochronological tests are being carried out, not only on important instruments but countless others too, in order to help support (or not...) current or past attributions or certifications.

It has never been as easy  to commission a dendrochronological analysis, as most tests are now carried out from high-resolution digital images sent via the internet, speeding up the whole process.

Our research over the last few years has revealed many interesting aspects of the trade of spruce tonewood in an historical context,  identifying clusters of timber used in specific location during specific periods.  These findings, increasingly significant as more instruments are tested, formed the subject of a talk at the "Museo del violino" in Cremona in September 2014. The abstract of the talk can be seen at the bottom of our Publications page

Our Clients

Important Dealerships, Collectors, players and major international Auction Houses, specialising in the sale of fine Musical instruments, such as Tarisio, Ingles and Hayday, Brompton's, Amati and Vichy Encheres rely on the speed and revealing nature  of our service.

Numerous historical instruments in Museums such as "Cité de la Musique" in Paris and "The Shrine to Music" in Vermillion, South Dakota have also been successfully analysed.