Buying guide

Why a certificate of authenticity matters

July 5, 2026

A master instrument is not only wood, varnish and sound — it is also its story, written down and signed. The certificate of authenticity is the document that ties one particular instrument to the luthier who built it, to the year it was made and to the materials used. Without it, even the most beautiful violin remains, on paper, an instrument without a name.

What the certificate contains

Every instrument that leaves the Mare family workshop is accompanied by detailed documentation and colour photographs of the instrument. The documentation confirms who built it, while the photographs capture, at the moment of sale, exactly how that particular piece looked — a visual “fingerprint” that is hard to dispute later on.

This combination — text plus image — is what sets it apart from a simple invoice or shop warranty. The certificate does not describe a generic violin model, but the specific, unique instrument, with all its particularities.

Why it matters for resale

The market for master-made string instruments runs largely on trust and provenance. A buyer who wants to resell an instrument years later will almost certainly be asked, “how do I know it is genuine?” The original certificate, kept together with the instrument, is the direct answer to that question — and often the difference between a quick sale and one held up by doubt.

Without documentation, the value of a master instrument drops, not because the sound or the wood has changed, but because its story becomes hard to verify.

Why it matters for insurance

A master instrument is often a significant investment, and insuring it — for travel, concerts or simply keeping it at home — requires a clear reference value. Insurers generally ask for proof of provenance and of the instrument's original condition. The certificate, with its description and photographs, provides exactly that starting point, simplifying both the valuation and any compensation in the event of damage.

How the Mare workshop issues it

At the workshop in Reghin, the certificate of authenticity is not a form filled in hastily, but a natural part of the process by which an instrument reaches its owner — alongside the final setup and the explanations about wood, model and care. Every instrument, whether violin, viola or cello, receives its own documentation, matched to its particularities — a written record of the work that went into it.

For someone buying a master instrument, the certificate is not an optional extra but part of the real value of the purchase — in the long run, just as important as carefully chosen wood and varnish applied by hand, layer by layer.