Dearcolleague,

I read your mail and the matter inerested me, so i got information:

Fisrt I asked my best frien, violinmaker / top-dealer ZOLTAN KODAJ (the former violinmaker of the VIE PHIL), who knows much, also the czech market.

Second I asked my dear philharmonic friend TOMAS VINKLAT, who presently is off from the Vienna Philharmonic and at the moment studies in Prague. He heard around.

As to KODAJ, he said the following (also I myself know that): There are many instruments around, which just get a fake paper with a fantasy-name, so that nobody can check and compare. The world is full wih fake violins and there are only few real experts in the world.

Tomas Vinklat heard around in Czekkia and nobody ever heard of that maker.

Therefore the matter is clear...

Please always buy a violin, which is an investment! The value of a good genuine Instrument increases 20 % per year, a Strad even 40 % (If you have got 7 million dollars to buy it...).

If you have any question, please drop me a line l.barki@music-vienna.at

Kind regards from good old Vienna

Laszlo Barki