You can't say I didn't try. But, this rare find slipped out of my grasp, basically because it crept up past my meager budget.
Word must have gotten out online over the past weeks and months, just as it got to me, that earlier today a lavta made in 1872 by Manolis Venios
("Manol") was to be auctioned off in Boston.
On the auction house's website, they more or less described it but clearly didn't know what they had. They estimated the auction value to be around
$300-500 or a little higher. The old kanun they had also sold for much more than they estimated (good for them - the lot just before the lavta).
The lavta ended up selling for just over $2000 counting all the auction fees/taxes, which, if the whole instrument can be authenticated, is really not
even half it's worth.
Anyway, I guess I'm disappointed, but honestly, even though this instrument doesn't belong to me, it's great to know that it exists. And hopefully,
it can soon be played and enjoyed by someone who appreciates it.
Enough blah, blah, here is the auction house web page with the pictures:
The lavta looks amazing! looks like the one in Athens museum... less ornate.
Mavrothis, do you have info on the kanun? Is it also a valuable piece just like this lavta?
amazing!!mavrothis - 5-2-2011 at 03:22 AM
Hi Chaldo,
I really don't know much about the kanun. My guess is to think it sold for much less than it is worth, though I honestly don't know. Looks like it
needs some repair work.
Maybe whoever got these instruments also is a member of the forum. Either way it was exciting to get a chance at owning them.
aytayfun - 5-2-2011 at 09:58 AM
Hi Mavrothis. Thank you for your kind attention to great Master.
The price is to low for Manol. I know a fully oriented Manol Lavta will be starting from 25 000 Euro in Turkey. (with a better contidion that this
one)
However it is owner still do not want to sell it for this price.Jonathan - 5-2-2011 at 03:01 PM
Wow, Mav. What a find! I so hope that somebody on this forum won this.mavrothis - 5-2-2011 at 05:25 PM
Hey Jonathan,
Our friend Adam Good let me know about this auction about a month ago. It's strange, we both posted to each other in this thread but now those posts
seem to be missing.
I hope the lavta is in good hands.
mJonathan - 5-2-2011 at 06:39 PM
So is this the earliest known Manol instrument? He was about 27 here.
I know almost nothing about the lavta, but I love the restrained beauty of Manol's instrument. With the exception of the fingerboard, it is almost
austere, and I just find that so beautiful. mavrothis - 5-2-2011 at 06:44 PM
Yes, his work really is gorgeous in its simplicity, though of course he had very intricate models also. But there is an innate beauty in all of
them.
I know for certain of lavtas dating before this one, at least back to 1866. Here is a picture of Tasos Theodorakis posing with this very
instrument.
Our friend Adam Good let me know about this auction about a month ago. It's strange, we both posted to each other in this thread but now those posts
seem to be missing.
I hope the lavta is in good hands.
m
Mav, weird right? I wasn't sure if I had sent my message or not.
Anyway just to update people I found out about the auction via a Balkan Music and Dance email list in the US that I subscribe to. So it's possible
someone in the community may have picked it up. I'll try to find out.
Adammavrothis - 5-3-2011 at 09:17 AM
Yeah Adam, I don't know what happened.
By the way, I was mistaken about the picture with Taso Theodorakis. This is not a copy he is holding in the picture, it is the actual instrument
which belonged to Leon Hanciyan. A very special instrument - sorry for the confusion. It was my own wrong assumption/misunderstanding. Is this the
lavta you referred to Dr. Aydin?
Beautiful lavtas right? Manolis Venios was doing outstanding work from the very beginning it seems. And I wonder if he fretted them originally in a
non-microtonal way, or if they were just altered over time. Anyone know?
