Comments

That's great! I'm really happy for you, Laurie. Those pictures are great too.

"Don't buy a violin based off its sound."
Hahahahahahahaha

Congratulations Laurie! May you and your Italian have many, many happy years together.

Neil

Yeah! Yeah! Yeah!

Congratulations!!! I was hoping you'd buy it! And what a nice, supportive husband you have!! I hope he doesn't mind the competition!!!

Now about the bow . . . ;)

Yay! Congrats, and hope you have many happy years with the Italian! What a lovely couple you two make! Congratulations! Congratulations and best wishes. You won't be sorry. Many years down the road it could also be your retirement. aww thats great i know youll love playing it You look happy together! I've played on a Gagliano viola and enjoyed it very much. My favorite part of your post is the contradictory comments and suggestions you received while considering purchasing your instrument. It's funny how that works... often we make a decision then look to friends and family to help us sort it out. But then, it almost gets more complicated the more opinions we get from people.

Enjoy your violin!

Hey, congratulations Laurie! That violin is nearly as gorgeous as your summer intern! Does this Italian marriage mean that your kids are gonna start waving their hands about when they speak? Congratulations, Laurie! The two of you make a beautiful couple.

And just for clarification, your accountant is wrong in one sense -- if you use your instrument for business purposes (making money playing music), it most certainly can be depreciated on your tax return.

i'm glad you ignored other people's comments and bought the violin. it looks amazing! please post up a performance audio :c) Congratulations, Laurie! You deserve if and don't they always say, true love will always last and win in the long run? Something like that anyways... May you have many happy years of playing ahead of you! On the depreciability issue, the second and third circuit federal courts of appeal decided that musical instruments (Tourte bows and a Ruggeri bass viol) were depreciable, but the IRS did not acquiesce in these decisions, and may be on the lookout for an appropriate case to create a conflict in the circuits and a further word from the Supreme Court. The third circuit court and even the IRS apparently believed that a contrary Ninth Circuit case (Ruggeri, Strad and Gabrielli violins) is not applicable. The IRS' challenges were based on a belief that the taxpayers could not show a determinable useful life of instruments that were centuries old and still going strong. One tax commentator wrote about the case involving a taxpaper named "Liddle" in a Note titled "A Liddle Night Music." How nice it would be if the instruments really had an indeterminately long life. Congratulations, Laurie, enjoy your great italian. Congratulations, Laurie! You and the Italian make a beautiful couple. And Robert is such a great guy. Yay for husbands "who get it"! Ohmygosh.....that's IT ! I am in love with my violin !
It's a beautiful old german gentleman with a high arch and wonderfully masculine tone...the G is awesome all the way down the board !
He's about 250 years old, has a few very well repaired cracks, the top doesn't match the rest of it, I have NO idea who the maker was and niether does anyone else...lol...but he's gorgeous and sweet and can hold a note to infanatum...even when "I" play him...lol !
Thank you Laurie, for helping me realize what this incredible feeling is that I have for this instrument I've had the prividedge of consorting with ! I had no idea, truley....that it is LOVE ! :D
Congrats on your engagement Laurie...I may never know if a marraige will happen for me...the ole gent belongs to someone else, who has allowed me the use of him, since no one in her family has any interest. She was going to sell him to me, but couldn't at the last minute..belonged to a favorite uncle who is no more (he lived to 103 !) *SIGH*...I can only hope she relents and someday allows the marraige....but if/until then I get to play to my hearts content ! Thanks everybody! Yes, we are very happy together...I got a H.R. Pfretschner bow to go with it actually. I couldn't use my old bow with it, so I traded it in! Thanks to everyone for your support and advice! Congratulations, Laurie. You and your new violin look beautiful together. May your marriage be long and happy. Robert is a gem of a supportive husband. I like your remark that you spent a long time mulling over what you felt instantly. I wish you the very best. Grats - let the "happily ever after begin"! Your joy is just beginning. I predict that 10 years from now this will look like one of the best and most important decisions in your life (right up there with marriage, having kids, etc.). Also 20 years, 30 years . . . Congratulations! Enjoy! Congrats on getting a great violin. And you didn't even have to sell Robert like I suggested.

Like Ray said, this can really contribute significantly to your retirement in 30 years. Keep it in good condition, and it will be very good to you.

Pieter