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Fiddling With Value: Violins As An Investment?

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  • KATHRYN GRADDY
  • PHILIP E. MARGOLIS

Abstract

This paper measures the returns to investing in violins using two different datasets. One dataset includes 75 observations on repeat sales of the same violins at auction starting in the mid-19th century and another dataset includes over 2000 observations on individual violin sales at auction since 1980. Overall real returns for the dataset on repeat sales for the period 1850-2006 have been approximately 3.5%. Real returns to the overall portfolio of individual sales since 1980 have been nearly 4%. While this return is lower than other standard investments, the price path has been stable with a slight negative correlation to stocks and bonds.
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Suggested Citation

  • Kathryn Graddy & Philip E. Margolis, 2011. "Fiddling With Value: Violins As An Investment?," Economic Inquiry, Western Economic Association International, vol. 49(4), pages 1083-1097, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:ecinqu:v:49:y:2011:i:4:p:1083-1097
    DOI: j.1465-7295.2010.00269.x
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Dimson, Elroy & Rousseau, Peter L. & Spaenjers, Christophe, 2015. "The price of wine," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 118(2), pages 431-449.
    2. M. W. Luke Chan & Dan Sabrina Gong & Terry A. Yip, 2020. "Return on violin and macroeconomic fluctuation," Journal of Cultural Economics, Springer;The Association for Cultural Economics International, vol. 44(2), pages 339-346, June.
    3. Fabian Y.R.P. Bocart & Christian M. Hafner, 2012. "Volatility of price indices for heterogeneous goods," SFB 649 Discussion Papers SFB649DP2012-039, Sonderforschungsbereich 649, Humboldt University, Berlin, Germany.
    4. Kathryn Graddy & Jonathan Hamilton & Rachel Pownall, 2012. "Repeat‐Sales Indexes: Estimation without Assuming that Errors in Asset Returns Are Independently Distributed," Real Estate Economics, American Real Estate and Urban Economics Association, vol. 40(1), pages 131-166, March.
    5. Dobrynskaya, Victoria & Kishilova, Julia, 2022. "Lego: The Toy Of Smart Investors," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 59(C).
    6. Lennon, Conor & Shohfi, Tom, 2021. "Unbridled spirit: Illicit markets for bourbon whiskey," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 191(C), pages 1025-1045.
    7. Savva Shanaev & Nikita Shimkus & Binam Ghimire & Satish Sharma, 2020. "Children’s toy or grown-ups’ gamble? LEGO sets as an alternative investment," Journal of Risk Finance, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 21(5), pages 577-620, November.
    8. Li, Yuexin & Ma, X. & Renneboog, Luc, 2021. "Pricing Art and the Art of Pricing : On Returns and Risk in Art Auction Markets," Discussion Paper 2021-018, Tilburg University, Center for Economic Research.
    9. Samuel Cameron, 2016. "Past, present and future: music economics at the crossroads," Journal of Cultural Economics, Springer;The Association for Cultural Economics International, vol. 40(1), pages 1-12, February.
    10. Laurs, Dries & Renneboog, Luc, 2019. "My kingdom for a horse (or a classic car)," Journal of International Financial Markets, Institutions and Money, Elsevier, vol. 58(C), pages 184-207.
    11. Dakshina De Silva & Caroline Elliott & Robert Simmons, 2013. "Restaurant wars," Working Papers 44312700, Lancaster University Management School, Economics Department.

    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • D44 - Microeconomics - - Market Structure, Pricing, and Design - - - Auctions
    • G11 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets - - - Portfolio Choice; Investment Decisions
    • L82 - Industrial Organization - - Industry Studies: Services - - - Entertainment; Media

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