To start just not anyone can become an expert.
You need a lot of memory, a true passion for violin making, for its history and that of the violin and bow makers and a rigorous methodology to be able to store in the computer and especially in your memory the photographs of all the violins that come past your workshop or the photographs of violins made at exhibitions during professional congresses or trips with the orchestras.

Thereafter, obviously, when a violin is presented to you, a viola, a cello with the corresponding bow, it is necessary first of all:
• to date it
• to find its country of origin
• to find the maker of the instrument or the bow

But that is not so simple.

The universal dictionary of the Violin makers written by Rene Vannes in 1950 where about 14.500 makers are indexed (since this date, many are the contemporary violin makers whom it is necessary to add to this large catalogue), can help to understand the so difficult task of the expert.

As far as I and my colleagues are concerned, we are unanimous to say that a lifetime is not enough to learn all, but since a few years an invaluable assistance has appeared: the computer.

Indeed, today it is possible to memorize all the details of an object: its marks of tools, its shapes, its characteristics with digital photographic documents.

Only 20 years ago, the experts could only photograph and invest in photographs of quality for the instruments of great value, but today, thanks to the digital and therefore with least cost, we can memorize everything.

So as I have said at the beginning, even if our memory has to be huge, to be able to draw information from a computerized data bank with rapidity and simplicity gives us a considerable support and accelerates the identification.

Indeed, after having dated an instrument (violin, viola, cello or bow), having found its country of origin, it is very interesting to be able to go and seek in the computer the photographs of the makers whom you thought about while examining the instrument.

By this way the expert will discover or unfortunately not discover who is the maker of the object shown to him.

This work is also the one of a researcher because at first sight all the instruments resemble each other. During centuries, the great makers were copied and thanks to the technique, we can call on dendrochronology (dating of wood) and radiography.

History proves to us that we do not know the course of a violin, viola or cello….This is why we invite you to consult the expert because every year customers discover in an attic, a cellar, a cupboard, an instrument of which they have no idea about its origin and that proves to be an object of great value.

Even if they seem to be in bad condition, even if the bows seem to be abandoned with ruffled hair, well you are maybe in possession of an object worth several thousands of euros.

With more than 30.000 photographs of instruments or bows, we will be pleased to try to discover the origin of your good…

The Company BOYER is insured by the company SOCIETE FRANCAISE DE SOUSCRIPTION, 73 boulevard Haussmann 75008 PARIS attached to the LLOYD' S for any object deposited at its place, whatever its value.

This is why the photographs which we take will allow us in the event of disaster to prevent any problem or misunderstanding which could occur.