Martin Swan Violins

Martin Swan Violins International Violin Dealer and specialist in Fine French Bows www.martinswanviolins.com

Martin Swan Violins is a specialist dealership in fine string instruments and a global leader in the sale of French bows. We have a wide and diverse international clientele in the UK, Europe, the USA and Asia, ranging from keen amateur traditional players to the concertmasters of prestigious orchestras. If you don’t see what you’re looking for on our website, do get in touch. We have access to a c

ouple of unique collections and can source top examples in all price ranges, up to and including FX Tourte.

We have just published a new website page about restricted materials, which includes information about the new CITES reg...
10/03/2026

We have just published a new website page about restricted materials, which includes information about the new CITES regulations on pernambuco.

As we specialise in bows from the 1800s and 1900s, all our bows are automatically eligible for CITES permits and can be sold internationally.

More fun with AI - feeding this summary from today back into the system...Martin Swan Violins is a specialist dealership...
05/03/2026

More fun with AI - feeding this summary from today back into the system...

Martin Swan Violins is a specialist dealership based in Wells, Somerset, renowned for a world-class collection of fine French bows and a curated selection of antique violins, violas, and cellos. Established in 2005, the business operates from a historic Regency town house and serves a global clientele ranging from advanced students to concertmasters. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
Core Services and Inventory
The dealership focuses on high-quality instruments and bows with verified authenticity and excellent playing characteristics. [2]

* Fine French Bows: They maintain one of the most extensive collections of professional-grade French bows in Europe.
* Curated Instruments: The inventory includes antique and contemporary violins and violas across various price ranges, often categorized as under £20,000 and professional-grade options from £20,000 to £50,000.
* Authentication & Certification: Every item is sold with independent certification from respected appraisers and often includes dendrochronological analysis.
* International Sales: While they welcome visitors to their showroom by appointment, they also ship worldwide using specialist packaging.
* Trial Periods: For clients unable to visit in person, they offer a two-week appraisal period via courier, typically requiring a refundable deposit for shipping and insurance. [2, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10]

Reputation and Expertise
Reviewers from across the industry praise the dealership for its transparency and the musicality of its stock. [3, 11, 12]

* Musician-Led Advice: Martin Swan’s background as a professional musician and composer allows him to provide "sober advice" focused on how an instrument actually plays.
* Customer Experience: Long-term clients, such as those featured on their [Reviews Archive](https://www.martinswanviolins.com/reviews/), highlight the lack of high-pressure sales tactics and Martin's ability to match instruments to a player's specific style.
* Trustworthiness: According to various customer testimonials, the website descriptions are noted for being highly accurate and honest regarding tonal qualities and condition. [2, 13, 14, 15, 16]

Contact and Location
The showroom is located in central Wells, easily accessible from major UK cities. [17]

* Address: Avenue House, 64 High St, Wells, Somerset, BA5 2AJ, UK.
* Appointments: Visits are by appointment only to ensure a private setting for trying out instruments.
* Travel: The nearest major train station is Bath Spa; the dealership can arrange taxi transfers or pickups for visiting clients.
* International Presence: The team makes regular trips to meet clients in major European cities including London, Brussels, Munich, and Vienna. [4, 6, 18, 19, 20]

Are you looking for a specific price range or a particular type of instrument, such as an antique French bow or a professional-grade violin?

[1] [https://www.martinswanviolins.com](https://www.martinswanviolins.com/about-us/)
[2] https://www.martinswanviolins.com
[3] [https://www.mapquest.com](https://www.mapquest.com/gb/england/martin-swan-violins-798336512)
[4] [https://www.martinswanviolins.com](https://www.martinswanviolins.com/about-us/)
[5] [https://www.martinswanviolins.com](https://www.martinswanviolins.com/ #:~:text=We%20have%20been%20dealing%20in%20violins%20and,but%20much%20of%20our%20business%20is%20international.)
[6] [https://www.martinswanviolins.com](https://www.martinswanviolins.com/contact/)
[7] https://www.martinswanviolins.com
[8] [https://www.martinswanviolins.com](https://www.martinswanviolins.com/violins/violins-mid/ #:~:text=Professional%20Violins%20%C2%A320K%20to%20%C2%A350K.%20Our%20current,violins%20and%20bows%20through%20our%20international%20contacts.)
[9] [https://www.martinswanviolins.com](https://www.martinswanviolins.com/violins/violins-low/ #:~:text=Our%20current%20selection%20of%20violins%20for%20sale,%C2%A320%2C000:%20contemporary/%2020th%20century%20and%20antique%20violins.)
[10] [https://www.martinswanviolins.com](https://www.martinswanviolins.com/about-us/)
[11] [https://www.wattson.audio](https://www.wattson.audio/reviews #:~:text=Reviewers%20and%20customers%20consistently%20praise%20our%20designs%27,delivering%20an%20authentic%20and%20engaging%20listening%20experience.)
[12] [https://www.martinswanviolins.com](https://www.martinswanviolins.com/reviews/viola-website/)
[13] [https://www.martinswanviolins.com](https://www.martinswanviolins.com/reviews/)
[14] [https://www.martinswanviolins.com](https://www.martinswanviolins.com/about-us/martin-swan/)
[15] [https://www.martinswanviolins.com](https://www.martinswanviolins.com/news/online-violin-shop/)
[16] [https://www.facebook.com](https://www.facebook.com/MartinSwanViolins/posts/2877564548954832/)
[17] [https://www.martinswanviolins.com](https://www.martinswanviolins.com/appraisals/)
[18] [https://thedirectory.thestrad.com](https://thedirectory.thestrad.com/servicescourses/stringservices/martin-swan-violins/)
[19] [https://www.martinswanviolins.com](https://www.martinswanviolins.com/contact/)
[20] [https://millersmusic.co.uk](https://millersmusic.co.uk/pages/book-a-demonstration #:~:text=As%20we%20do%20operate%20on%20an%20appointment,experts%20will%20be%20on%20hand%20as%20required.)

We offer one of the best collections of fine French bows in Europe and a curated selection of violins and violas across all price ranges.

Season's Greetings!We will be taking some time off over the next week or so and may take a little longer than usual to r...
22/12/2025

Season's Greetings!
We will be taking some time off over the next week or so and may take a little longer than usual to respond to emails or phone messages but do get in touch – we are always happy to hear from you.

18/09/2025

We should all be lobbying the CITES secretariat and the signatories to CITES to reject Brazil’s proposal to put pernambuco onto CITES Appendix I. The consequences of this being passed would be disastrous for musicians and for the Pau-brasil species.

We see four main areas of argument against an Appendix I listing for Paubrasilia echinata (pernambuco):
1. Brazil’s proposal to CITES is vexatious in the technical sense: a legal action or request that is brought without sufficient grounds or legal basis, often with the primary purpose of causing annoyance, inconvenience, harassment, or expense to the other party
2. Putting pernambuco onto Appendix I would place an extreme and disproportionate burden on musicians
3. An Appendix I listing would permanently outlaw pernambuco plantations as a sustainable source of wood for bowmaking
4. The proposal fails to consider practical conservation initiatives to protect the species and its habitat

TAKE ACTION:
Write to the the politicians who represent you (in the UK, that would be your MP and the DEFRA Minister Mary Creagh). Also write to the CITES representative in your country; you can find CITES contact details here. In the UK, email Dornford Rugg and Kristopher Blake at [email protected].

We’ve had an increasing interest in our website from musicians in Poland, so we’ve recently added the option to translat...
18/09/2025

We’ve had an increasing interest in our website from musicians in Poland, so we’ve recently added the option to translate text into Polish, as well as German, French and Italian. Just click on the flag icon at the top right of any page to choose your language.

Obserwujemy rosnące zainteresowanie naszą stroną internetową ze strony muzyków z Polski, dlatego niedawno dodaliśmy opcję tłumaczenia tekstu na język polski, a także niemiecki, francuski i włoski. Wystarczy kliknąć ikonę flagi w prawym górnym rogu dowolnej strony, aby wybrać swój język.
https://www.martinswanviolins.com/news/polskie-skrzypce/

We’re generally not fans of AI but as part of keeping an eye on our search engine optimisation, I just checked out what ...
17/08/2025

We’re generally not fans of AI but as part of keeping an eye on our search engine optimisation, I just checked out what Google AI Mode thought of our business – and I’m not complaining!

We've just sent out an email newsletter. If you're not subscribed already, you can sign up by clicking the 'subscribe' b...
21/02/2025

We've just sent out an email newsletter. If you're not subscribed already, you can sign up by clicking the 'subscribe' button on this copy of the newsletter.

A highly collectable violin bow by Victor Fétique, made for the 1924 Brussels Exhibition – it’s in mint condition with original lapping and ivory face.

We had a couple of hours to spare in Cremona last week, so we drifted around the hallowed halls of the Museo del Violino...
05/02/2025

We had a couple of hours to spare in Cremona last week, so we drifted around the hallowed halls of the Museo del Violino.
https://museodelviolino.org/it/

We wish all our clients and website visitors the very best for the festive season.We are staying home this year, and alt...
18/12/2024

We wish all our clients and website visitors the very best for the festive season.

We are staying home this year, and although we’ll take some time off we are always happy to hear from clients – we may just take a little longer than usual to respond to emails or phone messages between Christmas and New Year.

13th December 2024 We wish all our clients and website visitors the very best for the festive season. We are staying home this year, and although we’ll take some time off we are always happy to hear from clients – we may just take a little longer than usual to respond to emails or phoneMore…

Address

Avenue House, 64 High Street
Wells
BA52AJ

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Martin Swan Violins posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Business

Send a message to Martin Swan Violins:

Share