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„Connecting fine instruments 
& discerning tastes”

Established in 1988, TONART JÜRG DÄHLER Rare Violins & Bows connects since more than thirty years some of the world’s finest musical instruments with renowned soloists, collectors, devoted amateurs, corporate businesses, public museums and private foundations worldwide. Our policy is to concentrate exclusively on rare and fine examples of each maker in order to optimize the pleasure of any purchase at TJD for both the ambitious musician and the keen investor.

 

Our hand-selected collection of fine instruments and bows is based on our large experience and expertise as well as on our global network with leading experts, major violin dealing firms and specialized auction houses. Our bespoke sales service with head quarters in Switzerland offers the greatest discretion, discerning financing solutions as well as full international legal and tax related advice. 

 

For every sale we offer exemplary service, continuous support, through our state of the art sales documentation including tailor made certification and valuation, dendrochronological reports and CT-scans, complementary annual updating options as well as expert advise for repairs or restoration in order to fully optimise the long-term value performance of each purchase made with TONART JÜRG DÄHLER.

Hom:About

ABOUT

Born in Zurich, Jürg Dähler has been intimately connected with fine antique musical instruments since childhood, and more than forty years of intense studies of the great Italian masters and French bow makers have made him a knowledgeable and well-respected expert. His deep insight into violin making and the latest restoration and preservation techniques, as well as his vast experience in the violin trade in general allow him to consult and artfully serve his clients all around the globe, whether for a collection of instruments or single purchase.  

 

He currently works as a trustee for several prestigious private and corporate institutions and instrument collections in Switzerland, Europe, Asia, United States, and Australia and has been influential in creating new projects to help young gifted musicians with providing first-rate stringed instruments all over the world.

 

Being a sought-after soloist, chamber musician and teacher for almost forty years, Jürg Dähler performs since 1993 on a legendary 1714 Stradivari violin as well as on a rare Bolognese viola built by Raffaele Fiorini in 1893. Aside from his multi-faceted artistic career and his position since 1993 as principal violist of the Orchester Musikkollegium Winterthur, he completed his studies in Master of Arts Administration at the University of Zurich with summa cum laude. Since 1999 he is Co-Artistic and Managing Director of the Swiss Chamber Concerts and, since 2015 was appointed Artistic and Managing Director of the Pfingstfestival Schloss Brunegg. He has received several distinguished awards such as the Schweizer Musikpreis in 2020 for his many contributions to the cultural life of Switzerland.    

Home:Purchase

PURCHASE

Purchasing a fine and rare stringed instrument means entering a fascinating world of enticing beauty and great seduction. TJD is keen to expound on the many different paths and guideposts, overseeing with the utmost care and discretion our clients’ journey from initial idea through purchase and beyond. TJD sources any targeted instrument by directly contacting our international network, which includes both, major instrument collections and expert violin dealing firms worldwide. Our thirty-year reputation is built on connecting our clients with the ideal instrument to match their most respected needs. 

 

Over the last three decades we therefore have had the privilege of selling many exceptional violins, violas, cellos and bows to private clients, renowned violin shops, public collections and museums, including several rare examples by prominent makers such as Nicolò Amati, Antonio Stradivari, Giuseppe Guarneri Del Gesù, Andrea Guarneri, Giuseppe Guarneri filius Andreae, Francesco Rugeri, Carlo Tononi, Nicolò Bergonzi, Lorenzo Storioni, Giovanni Battista Ceruti, Domenico Montagnana, Matteo Goffriller, Giovanni Battista Guadagnini, Giuseppe Guadagnini, Tommaso Balestrieri, Nicolò Gagliano, Gioffredo Cappa, Giuseppe Rocca, Jean-Baptiste Vuillaume, Carlo Ferdinando Landolfi, Pietro Giovanni Mantegazza, Gaetano Antoniazzi, Riccardo Antoniazzi, Leandro Bisiach, Giuseppe Fiorini, Simone Fernando Sacconi and Ansaldo Poggi, as well as fine bows by Nicolas Léonard Tourte, François Xavier Tourte, Dominique  Peccatte, Jean Pierre Marie Persoit, Etienne Pajeot, Pierre Simon, Nicolas Maire, Joseph Henry, Nicolas Maline, Nikolaus Kittel, Samuel Allen, James Tubbs, W.E. Hill & Sons, François Nicolas Voirin, Claude Thomassin, Eugène Sartory, Victor Fétigue, Emil Auguste Ouchard, Bernard Ouchard, Jean-Jacques Millant, Bernard Millant, Jean-Pascal Nehr, Edwin Clémant and Benoît Rolland.

 

In addition to our tailor-made consulting services and commission sales, TJD’s collection includes a limited number of outstanding instruments and bows, which are all meticulously prepared for sale and which we are happy to present for consideration. 

Home: Sales

SALES

If you have an instrument or a bow you would like to discuss for sale, please phone, message or email us. We ask for high-resolution photos of your item to be emailed to us or you can simply use the contact form. Once your item has been approved for resale, we will create a tailored plan with you for the ideal way to bring it to market. TJD serves a substantial and loyal clientele of musicians, collectors and investors worldwide. Our commission sales are always based on a written agreement between TJD and the seller. 

 

In some cases, auction sales can be an attractive alternative to the usual resale procedures. Since auctionsales commonly include a fair amount of additional costs such as commissions, insurance, photography, transport and wire fees, TJD offers a transparent analysis of what could be expected by selling through the various auction options. Should it be decided that an item goes to auction, we will charge a small flat rate plus an agreed commission for our services.

 

We always consider purchasing fine examples for our collection. We are regularly travelling internationally to advise collections, contact clients as well as procure fine examples and will be happy to meet with you. However, in the case we should not be visiting your city in the near future, we are happy to welcome you in our new showroom in Winterthur, just 20 minutes outside of Zurich.

CERTIFICATES

Home: Certificates & Val

When purchasing through TJD, all essential documents, certificates and valuations needed in order to guarantee the instrument’s long-term investment value will be provided as part of our exemplary service. We are proud to offer multilateral condition reports, dendro-chronological reports and CT-Scans on demand as well as a full provenance and history documentation on instruments sold through us. 

 

A Certificate of Authenticity issued by a highly regarded international expert is beyond doubt a strong asset to any stringed instrument. We regularly advise our clients in obtaining second opinions to update certification according to the latest historical information including the ever-growing technology of scientific analysis in order to annually revalue the treasures acquired through TJD.   

 

It is crucial for the item’s long-term value performance to understand the often-ambiguous wording used in certificates. Due to our extensive experience in this field, we provide expert guidance to our clients in every area of certification, valuation and continuing care. By request, we are happy to issue our own certificates and valuations for items, whose maker is traditionally known or can be identified with 100% certainty. Furthermore, we are pleased to supply our buyers with complementary annual insurance valuations as part of our comprehensive service. If you wish to inquire about TJD’s Certificate & Valuation, please contact us by using the contact form or make an appointment.

Home: Repairs, Restoration

RESTORATION

Repairs and restoration are commonplace and are at times required whether or not the instrument is being regularly used. TJD’s director, being an active professional musician himself alongside his activities of dealing in fine and rare instruments, is perfectly informed about all aspects of instrument maintenance. Moreover, he has spent countless hours in ateliers of living makers and renowned restorers around the globe in order to understand the complexity as well as the aesthetic and ethical aspects of repairing and restoring fine antique as well as modern instruments from the violin family.

 

TJD is happy to provide contact details of professional local makers and restorers as well as international specialists if needed. As repair and restoration works can be both expensive and time-consuming, it is advisable to balance the costs against the value of the item and to discuss the budget and time frame before starting works. We are happy to provide a replacement instrument on loan if a repair is necessary. For all repair and/or restoration works arranged by TJD, we charge a small flat rate plus an agreed commission for our services. All works suggested by TJD are carried out by our trusted expert restorers with whom we have established long-standing relationships.

Home: Notable Sales

NOTABLE SALES

„Thanks to the generous help of Jürg, I was able to first find a superb bow by Nicolas Maire and shortly later my beloved Giuseppe Guarnerius filius Andreae violin.

 

Jürg has an unrivalled understanding for the complex needs of both musicians and

investors alike!“ 

 

Roberto González-Monjas

Conductor, Soloist and Former Concertmaster

Orchestra dell’Accademia Nazionale di

Santa Cecilia in Rome,

Chief Conductor Orchester Musikkollegium Winterthur

www.robertogonzalezmonjas.com

sitkovestky_00_03.jpg

I have had the most wonderful time working together with Jurg. The wonderful thing about him is that he has an incredible eye and feel for the most interesting and beautiful instruments and bows.

 

As soon as he introduced me to the Persoit, I was in love! He was a pleasure to work with, both patient and warm and in the end I am so happy to be playing on such a unique and fantastic bow which suits my violin perfectly.

 

I hope I will have a chance to work together with him in the future!

Alexander Sitkovetsky

 

Soloist and Violin Professor ZHdK Zürich

www.alexandersitkovetsky.com

EVENTS

Events
Home: Contact

CONTACT

Mobile: +41 79 631 65 76

E-mail: info@tonartjd.com

Office & Showroom:

Florenstrasse 51,

CH-8405 Winterthur - Switzerland

By appointment only

Member Zurich Trade Association VZH

VAT-Registration:

CHE -112.508.636 MWST

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