Reuning & Son Violins
Reuning & Son Violins is a privately held dealer of fine violins, violas, cellos, and bows, headquartered in Brookline, Massachusetts with a showroom near Carnegie Hall in New York City, serving professional musicians, collectors, institutions, and patrons with authenticated classical Italian masterworks and contemporary instruments alongside appraisal and restoration services.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1970
- HeadquartersBrookline, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Reuning & Son Violins does
Reuning & Son Violins is a privately held, family-owned dealer and connoisseur of fine violins, violas, cellos, and bows, headquartered in Brookline, Massachusetts, with a second showroom near Carnegie Hall in Midtown Manhattan. Founded in the 1970s by Sanford and Joan Reuning together with their son Christopher, the firm was purchased by Christopher Reuning in 1984 and relocated to Boston in 1994. The business sells through consultative, appointment-only field sales supported by an in-house workshop of trained luthiers and by sales staff who are themselves professional musicians.
The inventory spans contemporary instruments priced up to $35,000 to classical Italian masterworks by Stradivari, Guarneri, Bergonzi, and others valued at or above $500,000, with seven instruments at or above $20 million reportedly sold since 2019. Revenue is generated through one-time instrument sales, professional services including appraisals ($75 to $250 per item), certificates of authenticity (5% of appraised value with a $750 minimum), consignment transactions, and consulting engagements. The firm also operates an in-house restoration and bow-repair workshop staffed by graduates of leading violin-making schools.
Customers are primarily professional musicians, collectors, and institutions (orchestras, music schools), with additional engagement from patrons, foundations, and estates requiring authentication, valuation, and acquisition advisory. Christopher Reuning's prior founding of Tarisio Auctions (sold 2010) and Carriage House Violins (sold 2013) underpins his standing in the international string community, while current operations remain narrowly focused on the high-end dealer and restoration business with no disclosed external investors.
Reuning & Son Violins firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Reuning & Son Violins
- Legal name
- Reuning & Son Violins
- Website
- https://reuning.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1970
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Reuning & Son Violins is a privately held dealer of fine violins, violas, cellos, and bows, headquartered in Brookline, Massachusetts with a showroom near Carnegie Hall in New York City, serving professional musicians, collectors, institutions, and patrons with authenticated classical Italian masterworks and contemporary instruments alongside appraisal and restoration services.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Reuning & Son Violins industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Fine Musical Instrument Dealer
- NAICS
- Musical Instrument and Supplies Retailers (459140)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Musical Instrument Retail (Guitars, Keyboards, Drums, Band/Orchestra) (CRALAEAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Used & Vintage Musical Instruments Retail (CRALAEAH), Instrument Repair, Maintenance & Luthier Services (CRALAEAF)
Keywords
Where Reuning & Son Violins is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Brookline
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Reuning & Son Violins business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Instrument Sales: One-time sales of violins, violas, cellos, and bows ranging from contemporary instruments priced up to $35,000 to classical masterworks by Stradivari, Guarneri, and other Italian makers priced over $500,000. The company has sold seven instruments valued at or above $20 million since 2019.
- Appraisal Services: Appraisal services for insurance, legal, estate, or probate purposes. Fees range from $75 for verbal/bow appraisals to $250 for instruments valued over $10,000.
- Certificates of Authenticity: Certification services at 5% of appraised value with a minimum cost of $750.
- Consignment Sales: Consignment services for instruments and bows, offering them to their extensive client list of musicians, collectors, patrons and institutions.
- Consulting Services: Christopher Reuning consults with institutions and private individuals for acquisition, selling, or evaluation of musical instruments.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Verbal Instrument or Bow Appraisal |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Bow Insurance Appraisal |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Appraisal Update |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Instrument Insurance Appraisal (valued under $1,999) |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Instrument Insurance Appraisal (valued $2,000 to $9,999) |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Instrument Insurance Appraisal (valued over $10,000) |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Certificate of Authenticity |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels1 record
Reuning & Son Violins product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Reuning & Son Violins is a connoisseur and dealer of fine violins, violas, cellos, and their bows, offering contemporary instruments priced up to $35,000 alongside classical Italian masterworks by Stradivari, Guarneri, and other master makers valued over $500,000. The firm complements its instrument sales with appraisal, authentication, consignment, consulting, and in-house restoration workshop services for professional musicians, collectors, patrons, and institutions.
Product overview
Reuning & Son Violins is a premier dealer of fine violins, violas, cellos, and bows, offering instruments from contemporary makers to classical Italian masterworks by Antonio Stradivari, Giuseppe Guarneri, and Carlo Bergonzi. The product portfolio centers on the core instrument categories (violins, violas, cellos) and bows, each spanning multiple price points and maker categories. The firm complements its sales business with professional services including Certificates of Authenticity, appraisals, consignments, consulting, and an in-house workshop providing restoration and repair services. The company operates showrooms in Boston (Brookline) and New York City.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Fine Violins Dealer offering new and antique violins spanning contemporary instruments under $35k to masterworks by Stradivari, Guarneri, and Bergonzi valued over $500k, for professional musicians, collectors, and institutions.
- Fine Violas Dealer offering a collection of violas ranging from antique instruments by makers such as Bernard Simon Fendt Sr. to high-value instruments by Anselmo Bellosio and Giovanni Battista Genova priced over $125k.
- Fine Cellos Dealer offering cellos including antique instruments by Giovanni Battista Grancino and Luigi Soffritti (over $200k) and contemporary makers like Christian Schabbon and Kristin A. Siegfried (up to $200k).
- Fine Violin Bows Fine violin bows including works by Nicolas Maire, Charles Peccatte, James Tubbs, and other renowned bow makers.
- Fine Viola Bows Fine viola bows including works by Eric Lane and Nicolas Maline.
- Fine Cello Bows Fine cello bows including works by Eugene Sartory, Pierre Simon, Claude Thomassin, and Joseph Arthur Vigneron.
- Certificates of Authenticity Expert examination and certification of instrument authenticity, with color photographs attached to certificates. Cost is 5% of appraised value with a minimum of $750.
- Appraisals Appraisal services for insurance coverage, estate/probate purposes, and verbal opinions. Fees range from $75 to $250 depending on type and instrument value.
- Consignments Consignment sale services for instruments and bows, leveraging the firm's extensive client list of musicians, collectors, patrons, and institutions.
- Consulting Expert consultation services by Christopher Reuning for foundations, orchestras, music schools, collectors, patrons, and players for acquisition, sale, or evaluation of musical instruments.
- Workshop Services (Restoration and Repair) Restoration and repair services including bow repair, rehair, instrument repairs, and tonal adjustments performed by world-class luthiers using innovative non-invasive techniques.
Quantifiable outcome
- Sold seven instruments valued at or above $20 million since 2019
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Reuning & Son Violins
Customer profileNamed customers12 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Reuning & Son Violins technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Reuning & Son Violins partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators3 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Reuning & Son Violins competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Ingles & Hayday: London specialists in fine violins, violas, cellos, and bows. Operate in the same high-end dealer and advisory segment with similar consultative sales to professional musicians and collectors.
- Beare's International Violin Society: London-based dealer of fine violins and bows led historically by Charles Beare, the world's leading expert on historical European violin makers. Direct peer in authentication, appraisal, and sales of masterworks by Stradivari, Guarneri, and contemporaries.
- Florian Leonhard Fine Violins: London-based dealer and workshop for fine violins, violas, cellos, and bows. Competes directly in the same ultra-premium segment and shares the workshop-based restoration model; one of Reuning's workshop staff previously served as workshop manager there.
- Tarisio Auctions: International auction house specializing in fine stringed instruments, founded by Christopher Reuning (who later sold his interest in 2010). Directly comparable as the most prominent global marketplace for the same instrument category and customer base.
Broad incumbents
- Bonhams: International auctioneer with a dedicated musical instruments department that handles fine stringed instruments. Competes for the same collector and estate consignments but within a wider luxury goods portfolio.
- Christie's: Major international auction house with a musical instruments department. Overlaps with Reuning in serving collectors of fine and rare instruments, but operates at much broader scale across multiple luxury categories.
- Sotheby's: Global auction house with a musical instruments department offering fine stringed instruments. A broader incumbent that competes for high-end consignments and collectors but as part of a much wider portfolio across all collectibles categories.
Regional players
- Skinner Auctioneers: US-based auction house that has handled fine musical instrument sales. Comparable in offering musical instruments to collectors and estates, but more of a regional (US) generalist auctioneer than a dedicated fine-instrument dealer.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Reuning & Son Violins social profiles
Digital presenceReuning & Son Violins financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Reuning & Son Violins leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles12 records
Reuning & Son Violins funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Reuning & Son Violins M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Reuning & Son Violins
What does Reuning & Son Violins do?
Reuning & Son Violins is a connoisseur and dealer of fine violins, violas, cellos, and their bows, offering contemporary instruments priced up to $35,000 alongside classical Italian masterworks by Stradivari, Guarneri, and other master makers valued over $500,000. The firm complements its instrument sales with appraisal, authentication, consignment, consulting, and in-house restoration workshop services for professional musicians, collectors, patrons, and institutions.
Is Reuning & Son Violins a public or private company?
Reuning & Son Violins is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was Reuning & Son Violins founded?
Reuning & Son Violins was founded in 1970. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Reuning & Son Violins based?
Reuning & Son Violins is headquartered in Brookline, United States, in the North America region.
How does Reuning & Son Violins make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Instrument Sales are the primary driver. The others are appraisal Services, certificates of Authenticity, consignment Sales and consulting Services.
Who are Reuning & Son Violins's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Ingles & Hayday, Beare's International Violin Society, Florian Leonhard Fine Violins and Tarisio Auctions. Broad incumbents are Bonhams, Christie's and Sotheby's. Skinner Auctioneers is listed as a regional player.
Does Reuning & Son Violins have an API?
No public API is recorded for Reuning & Son Violins.
What industry is Reuning & Son Violins in?
Reuning & Son Violins's product category is Fine Musical Instrument Dealer. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRALAEAA, Musical Instrument Retail (Guitars, Keyboards, Drums, Band/Orchestra), with a secondary code of CRALAEAH, Used & Vintage Musical Instruments Retail. Its NAICS code is 459140.