Some of the most treasured instruments are hundreds of years old. One of the most treasured is a violin handcrafted by Antonio Stradivari.
On Friday – February 7 – Sotheby’s in New York is holding an auction of a 1714 “Joachim-Ma Stradivarius. Estimated at $12 to $18 million, the auction could be the most expensive instrument ever sold.
In 2011 the 1721 “Lady Blunt” Stradivarius sold for $15.9 million – the most expensive instrument sold at the time according to the Guinness World Records.
Mari-Claudia Jimenez of Sotheby’s noted that the violin was made during Stradivari’s “Golden Period” which began in 1700 and showed a marked improvement in his craftsmanship; saying “so this is the peak of his output. This is the best violin of this era.”
Sotheby reports that the violin is in remarkable shape.
Reportedly the violin was Johannes Brahms’ inspiration for his “Violin Concerto in D Major”. Prior to arriving at Sotheby’s, the Stradivarius has had only three previous owners – Joseph Joachim of Hungary and Si-Hon Ma of China and later the U.S. Upon Ma’s death in 2009, the violin was given as a gift to the New England Conservatory in Boston.
The Conservatory is putting the Stradivarius up for auction with the proceeds going to fund student scholarships.