RARE ANTIQUE 1897 CG CONN THE WONDER FINE VIOLIN Start Price USD 3,499.99 Current Price USD 3,499.99 Time Left - Bid Count 0 Buy It Now Price - Reserve Price - Start Time Thursday, November 06, 2008 End Time Saturday, December 06, 2008 Location Biddeford, Maine See more about 'RARE ANTIQUE 1897 CG CONN THE WONDER FINE VIOLIN' Description       RARE ANTIQUE 1897 CG CONN THE WONDER FINE VIOLIN   SKU #00018   We are pleased to offer this very rare and hard to come by C.G. Conn "The Wonder" Violin in superb ready to play condition. The label on the inside reads "The Wonder CG Conn Maker #465` Elkhart Ind New York City. Conn ran a retail store in New York City from 1897 - 1902 for the sale of his Wonder line of instruments, as well as his inventory of fine Wonder violins. The serial number 465 is very low and I would guess this dates to circa 1897-1898. This is one of the earliest examples seen. You could search the world and not find a cleaner, earlier example of this fine quality American violin. Conn hired William V. Pezzoni, a Brooklyn, New York violinmaker to set up a violin manufacturing department at the company's Elkhart, Indiana plant in 1897. The Conn Wonder Violin was the product of a huge operation, rivaling in scope the mass production facilities of Germany. The advertising hype was that he took apart several Strads and measured them before modeling his 'Wonder Violin' after them. Violin has just been serviced by Valerio Mongillo of Old Mill Violins in Biddeford Maine. Here is what was done. It was cleaned, sound post and bridge was reset, added a new ebony chin rest, new nut and fingerboard, set up and ready to play. The finish was not altered and retains its natural beauty, finish and character. The Ebony tailpiece is original and had a fine tuner added. She plays and sounds like a dream, with a beautiful rich tone. Back is a gorgeous book matched flamed maple, the best I've seen. Violin is a high quality instrument in superb condition free of any cracks, chips, dents or other repairs. Comes complete with dust cover with stitched text "The Wonder". You will not see a nicer example of a Conn Wonder violin especially with such a low serial number. This violin is a great investment instrument.   Click an Image to Enlarge            Check out our eBay Store for more great deals!!                   We completely understand the challenges of buying online and never consider a transaction complete until we hear you are completely satisfied. We want all of our products to give you 100% satisfaction. You may return anything purchased from us if it  proves otherwise. We will replace it, refund your purchase or credityou as you wish. We do not want you to receive anything from Twin City Gold that is not completely satisfactory.           We want you to be satisfied with your purchase. If you have any questions or comments please let us know. It is our policy to do everything we can to make you happy. We strive for 100% satisfaction. Your input is welcomed.            SMART PURCHASE - Our prices average less than 1/2 of the normal retail price. Save $100's of dollars. SAVE TIME & MONEY - No acquisition cost, such as gas, tolls and time to go to the store. CONVENIENCE - Items shipped directly to you. Browse our online store from the comfort of your own house with no high-pressure sales people. CUSTOMER SERVICE - We completely understand the challenges of buying online and we never consider a transaction complete until we hear that our customer is completely satisfied. FIND YOUR TREASURE - Unique and unusual items available at a fraction of their retail value.        To make your purchase as simple and easy as possible, please refer to the store policies listed below. After winning an item in auction or completing a Buy It Now purchase, you have two check-out options:  Once the auction ends you will receive an email invoice with instructions to make payment using our secure Verisign checkout. Please do not make payments outside of our secure checkout as we will be unable to process your item(s). Our system will not get updated that your payment has been made. All personal information obtained through our secure online checkout will be treated as confidential and TCG will not disclose any information to any third parties. Your privacy is a high priority to Twin City Gold.  Check-Out Now! Click the Pay Now button at the top of this listing to immediately proceed with our checkout and payment process. Please note that the Pay Now button is ONLY available after winning an auction or completing a Buy It Now purchase. Check-Out Later If you do not choose to Check-Out now, you will be notified by eBay via e-mail that you are the winning bidder. There is no need to contact us to arrange payment. We will automatically send you an e-mail within three hours of an auction closing. Our message will contain a link to our simple and secure checkout system, where you will be able to quickly and conveniently pay for your purchase. You may also continue purchasing additional items from our auctions or eBay store. You have 7 days from the end of the first purchase to add additional items to your order. Make sure all of your auctions have ended prior to checking out. All of your purchases will be consolidated into one checkout!   PaymentWe accept the following forms of payment. PayPal     Credit Card Payments      Sales TaxFor shipments to Maine addresses, we are required by State law to collect  5% Sales Tax.   ShippingAll shipments include FREE Delivery Confirmation. Shipping prices are clearly stated in all of our ads, please see item(s) details for price. Shipping prices are for the lower 48 only, Alaska, Hawaii and Puerto Rico extra shipping charges will apply, email for shipping quote. Shipping prices are for the lower 48 only, Alaska, Hawaii and Puerto Rico extra shipping charges will apply, email for shipping quote. Shipping discounts apply to the second and subsequent items in the same shipment from the same buyer. Purchase as many items as you like from TCG to take advantage of the shipping discount.   **Items over 3 lbs do not qualify for shipping discounts. International Shipping FAQ's   Does Twin City Gold ship internationally? Absolutely! Twin City Gold specializes in International Shipments! Which carrier does Twin City Gold use to ship internationally? Twin City Gold primarily uses services provided by USPS to ship internationally.  No matter how your goods ship, you will be provided with a Delivery Confirmation number to ensure delivery!Do I have to pay tax/duty if I am ordering from outside the United States? We declare full value of items purchased and you may be subject to import duties and taxes, which are levied once a shipment reaches your country. Additional charges for customs clearance must be borne by you; we have no control over these charges and cannot predict what they may be. Customs policies vary widely from country to country; you should contact your local customs office for further information. Additionally, when ordering from Twin City Gold, you are considered the importer of record and must comply with all laws and regulations of the country in which you are receiving the goods. When will my order arrive? Our international shipping varies from country to country, delivery to most destinations should be no longer the 7-10days. Please note: each order must clear customs before being delivered to its final destination, which may result in additional delivery delays. Please consult your local customs office for additional information.   Contact Info: EMAIL: INFO@TWINCITYGOLD.COM    PHONE: 207-282-5100 / TOLL FREE 877-760-4653   ADDRESS: TCG INC. 38 ALFRED ST. BIDDEFORD, ME  04005   HOURS OF OPERATION: MONDAY - FRIDAY 10AM-5PM           Place a Bid!