A fine William "Royal" Forster cello is to auction on May 22 at Bonhams London. The circa 1789 instrument is expected to bring as much as £80,000 ($120,000) - testament to its maker's unimpeachable reputation as one of the finest British cello makers of all time.
 The William Forster cello would have been among the finest instruments of its day |
William Forster (1739-1800) might be understood as the British counterpart to the great French maker, Jean-Baptiste Vuillaume (1798-1875), who made over 3,000 stringed instruments during his life time.
Forster enjoyed the patronage of the cello-playing royal family, while Prince Charles is known to have owned and played a Forster cello - valuable royal connections that impact the instrument's anticipated sale price.
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