An 18th century double bass--valued at $150,000--has gone missing in Baldwin, New York.
Bassist Brian Fountain took to Instagram last June 7, posting a tearful video where he publicly accused Manny Alvarez and Barry Kolstein, of Samuel Kolstein and Son Violinmakers, of grand larceny.
Fountain left his instrument with Kolstein on consignment in 2022. Receiving no offers, he tried to retrieve it, but was not presented with any paperwork or contract as proof. A month later, Fountain was no longer able to contact Manny Alvarez or Barry Kolstein.
In the same video where makes his accusation, Fountain included his instrument's distinguishing features, namely its violin corners, its distinctive tuning pegs, a possibly removed false nut, a flat, angled back, and a number of distinctive markings. The Strad adds:
"The instrument has a top of six pieces of medium-grain spruce with violin corners. The flat back is made of four pieces of clear pearwood. The ribs do not match the back and there are no outside liners present. The bass has no purfling in either table.
"The neck, which is new, is made from well flamed maple. The fingerboard is ebony and replacement individual tuning gears are made of brass with brass pegs."
Fountain also posted several videos showing him calling Kolstein and failing to locate his instrument. In one, he says he suspects that he was speaking to Alvarez, whom he claimed to be using voice-altering software.
He encouraged his followers to come forward if they have had experiences similar to his. Some have accused Kolstein of other suspicious practices, while others claim that the bass had already been sold in 2022 without Fountain's knowledge, and that the company had not yet made another sale to with which to pay him. He also called out to anyone who might have bought his bass, warning that they were playing on stolen property.
Brian Fountain is the Principal Bass of the São Paolo Opera House Orchestra. He can be contacted through Instagram (@brianfountain.bass) or email (brianfountain@gmail.com).
