Australian musician Jonathan Tooby‘s 200-year-old cello has been damaged in transit ahead of a tour across the UK and Greece with the Darlington Quartet.

The damage to Jon Tooby’s cello. Photo courtesy of Darlington Concerts/Facebook

After arriving in Manchester, Tooby opened his case to find “a huge crack down the back of the instrument”, despite the flight case appearing undamaged.

Tooby’s tour engagements last week included a performance of Elgar’s Cello Concerto.

The quartet filed a complaint with Qantas, the airline through which the flights were booked. In its response, Qantas said that it was unable to assess the claim as the last leg of the journey was completed on a British Airways flight.

“Jon’s cello is over 200 years old and these instruments are basically irreplaceable,” wrote Darlington Concerts in an Instagram post.

The Strad reports that the instrument was packed in a “Presto Case, [a] double-thick fibreglass flight case”; a video on Darlington Concerts’ Instagram page shows the outer case has been wrapped in bubble wrap and ‘Fragile’ tape.

“The damage severely devalues the instrument and repairs don’t guarantee that the cello will retain its original qualities,” Darlington Concerts said.

“We have since found out that even the sound post is cracked so it must have been dropped from quite a distance. The lack of care and support is mind-boggling. Thanks for nothing.”

Conductor Jon Tooby and the Darwin Symphony Orchestra. Photo supplied

The Darlington Quartet is the Quartet-in-Residence at the West Australian Academy of Performing Arts, where its members teach. It was formed following the inaugural Darlington Winter Chamber Music Series, founded in 2004 by Tooby.

A renowned chamber musician, Tooby was also the Artistic Director and Chief Conductor of the Darwin Symphony Orchestra from 2018–2025. His instrument is a 200-year-old Tyrolean cello.

“I love my cello so much… I know I will play it for as long as I am able,” he told Off The Leash in 2018. “It has taken me all over the world and I have had so many memorable experiences with it.”

The quartet took the damaged instrument to Tim Toft Violins in Staffordshire, who told them that the instrument may take months to repair. The store has loaned Tooby a French cello in the meantime.

“I was angry and devastated when I opened the case, but now feel blessed to have met these wonderful people… who have lent me this lovely cello,” wrote Tooby in a Facebook comment.

Last year, The New York Times published a letter from a record label owner, who reported that British Airways had not compensated musicians for over $5,o00 in expenses after two guitars were damaged after a flight.

In 2024, Qantas left Melbourne musician Mark Elton’s double bass “smashed beyond repair” as he travelled to perform at Perth’s Fringe World Festival.