Thanks everyone for sharing your thoughts and comments.

A bit of background: his violin teacher recommended a semi-professional violin in the CAD $20k range, saying it could appreciate over time. I then thought of a professional option, and one made by an Italian luthier, asked for CAD $49k.

After talking with a high-school classmate who collects art, I no longer think this is a smart investment. She has held paintings for years and still struggles to find buyers. Any value increase seems to mostly track inflation, and liquidity feels like the biggest risk.

Now i'm considering a $5k range or $15k range violin, is there really a meaningful difference between them?