Submit photographs of your violin, viola, or cello for expert review. Our team examines construction details, provenance records, and comparable instruments to provide a thorough identification assessment — free of charge.
Three steps from photographs to expert assessment.
Send high-resolution photographs of your instrument — front, back, scroll, and any labels or markings.
Our team examines construction details, wood characteristics, and stylistic features, comparing against a reference library of over 1,500 documented instruments.
Receive a written assessment with maker attribution, provenance research, comparable instruments, and recommendations for next steps.
Combining traditional expertise with the largest independent instrument reference library.
Detailed analysis of outline, f-holes, scroll carving, and construction characteristics, compared against documented examples from major auction houses and collections.
Tree-ring analysis matches wood grain patterns to date the timber used in construction, cross-referencing against established reference chronologies.
Auction records, dealer histories, and exhibition catalogs trace ownership chains across decades and centuries, strengthening every identification.
The Violin Identification Institute is a research initiative by Payton Violins, combining hands-on luthier expertise with comprehensive provenance research to advance the science of instrument identification and authentication.
Our reference library spans centuries of violin making — from Cremonese masters to modern workshops — drawing on auction records, dealer archives, and direct examination to provide accurate, evidence-based instrument analysis.
Visit Payton ViolinsHave a violin, viola, or cello you'd like identified? Submit photographs and details through our form and receive a written assessment from our team.