Klarinet Archive - Posting 000071.txt from 2003/12

From: "rien stein" <rstein@-----.nl>
Subj: Re: [kl] Flea market finds
Date: Tue, 2 Dec 2003 17:58:36 -0500

Jeremy A. Schiffer wrote:

>>
So long as the owner sets the price, there is no ethical dilemna about
paying what was asked, regardless of the market value of the product.

If, on the other hand, the owner said "I don't really know what it's
worth, so make an offer" and the other person responds with something
absurdly low knowing the real value, it _would_ be an unethical act
because he or she would be knowingly deceiving the owner for personal
benefit.
<<

I do not quite agree! Several years ago an Afghan refugee I counseled showed
me "two flutes" he had bought for sixty guilders (at that time about $30)
from another refugee. It was a bassethorn in F. Brandnew. Packed in two
plastic bags! I immediatly offered him 75 guilders (some $37 or 38). It was
immediately clear to me the instrument was stolen somewhere. And as I knew
this man very well I also was rather sure he was not the thieve.

After he left I called my clarinet repairman and asked him whether he knew
of someone or some band, where a bassethorn was stolen, he didn't. Then I
called the police, but there was no bassethorn in their system. So I
concluded it was stolen somewhere abroad.

I had a delicious time with it, although the thought of playing a stolen
instrument was a bit uncomfortable to me. But them I told the story to a
student of Harry Sparnaay, the Latvian clarinettist Uldis Locenieks, who was
first chair in the Liepaja Symphony Orchestra and now is a good friend of
mine. He knew where it was stolen: the Utrecht conservatory. When I called
the conservatory they confirmed a bassethorn was missing. When I asked for
the number of the missing instrument they gave me a differen tone. But an
hour or so later the lady called me and said the conservatory had three
months before bought a pair (or rather: "received" a pair), andshe had
checked the number. The one with thenumber she had givento me was still
there, and she gave me the correct number.

In a way it was a relief to deliver the instrument again where it belonged,
but at the same time I felt a bit sad to take leave of such a good and
beautiful friend!

Rien

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