IF you consider this event spam go ahead and delete it but there is an interesting back story involved.

First of all I have 3 other cellos which I can assemble and play as needed so I don't need these 2 remarkable instruments. These were wants more than needs and will serve the world of music in better hands than mine.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=270209462956&indexURL=11&photoDisplayType=2#ebayphotohosting
This instrument in my heart of hearts is about 70% of what remains of an original Amati but I have no documented provenance to prove it so I do not mention it on auction.
It has every kind of what is called fatal cracks but sounds warm and pleasant despite its scars. I wrote a little poem about it regarding my mixed feeling in letting it go. In fact I may end the auction before the last day anyway.

I have had cellos that dated to 1700 before and this one is far older. I am reminded of Joshua Bell playing in the DC metro station and no one stopped to listen and be amazed. Perhaps the scroll alone is worth more than the whole instrument for a collector but I hope that it will be conserved as generations have done so far. The question that I insinuated is Why would anyone go to the trouble to keep heroicly restoring this particular instrument far beyond all reason? There is something about its sound that creates an affair of the heart.