Over more than 120 years, Beare's has built a deserved reputation as the world's most respected violin dealer and expert through buying, selling, making and restoring instruments and bows of exceptional quality.

Our unrivalled team of specialists is trusted by musicians, collectors and investors around the world. Many of the world's leading performers, both past and present, have chosen to play on instruments from Beare's. Among them are: Joshua Bell, Kyung Wha Chung, Julia Fischer, Nigel Kennedy, Pinchas Zukerman, Mischa Elman, Yehudi Menuhin, Nathan Milstein, Isaac Stern, Lynn Harrel, Steven Isserlis, Ralph Kirshbaum, Yo-Yo Ma, Heinrich Schiff, Pierre Fournier, Jacqueline du Pré and Mstislav Rostropovich.

Founded in 1892, the firm of John and Arthur Beare merged in 1998 with Morris and Smith, another successful firm of violin dealers based in London. As a result, Beare's directors - Frances Gillham, Peter Beare (a qualified luthier) and Chairman Charles Beare - were joined by Simon Morris and Steven Smith. They all share a passion for fine violins, violas and cellos and, with their authoritative range of complementary skills, offer Beare's clients world-leading expertise. In 2008, Beare's received The Queen's Award for Enterprise: International Trade and in December 2010, we were appointed Honorary Advisors to the Royal Society of Musicians of Great Britain.

The firm is represented in Seoul, South Korea through our agents Songwoo.