Re: stainer violine and case

Hello, I am a very experienced violinist. The 1600 you see probably isn't when it was made; it is most likely a copy.  Original stainers were made from the 1600's to the 1700's. Afterwards, thousands upon thousands of copies were made. Few original genuine violins made by stainer exist and are very rare. It is extremely unlikely you would have an original.

If "Stainer" is on the back, you have a copy. 

Values for these copies vary. A very high quality copy could MAYBE get to 2,000. The only  way to know for sure is to have an expert examine it in person.

Here is a website I found that answers commonly asked questions about Stainers:

http://www.folkofthewood.com/page3031.htm

Good luck.