British fine arts brokers Sotheby’s are set to auction the 1714 Joachim-Ma Stradivarius violin in a landmark sale in New York this February. The anticipated sale price is projected to range between $12 million and $18 million USD, potentially making it the most expensive musical instrument ever sold at auction.
The violin is being sold by the New England Conservatory (NEC), which plans to use the proceeds to fund student scholarships. This initiative aligns with the wishes of the instrument’s previous owner, the late Chinese violinist and NEC alumnus Si-Hon Ma, who donated the violin with the stipulation that it benefit future students. NEC President Andrea Kalyn described it as the institution’s largest-ever scholarship program.
The instrument boasts a rich history, having been previously owned by Joseph Joachim, a 19th-century composer, performer, and conductor. Joachim was a close associate of Mendelssohn and Brahms, and Sotheby’s highlights that Brahms’ Violin Concerto in D Major was “almost certainly performed on this very instrument.” Additionally, the violin played a pivotal role in the revival of Bach’s Sonatas and Partitas.
“What sets the Joachim-Ma Stradivarius apart is its extraordinary sound—rich, complex, and full of depth,” Sotheby’s remarked. “The tone is both sweet and rounded, with a richness that seems to grow with each note.” They also praised the violin’s visual appeal, enhanced by its golden-brown varnish, and noted its exceptional preservation, a testament to the care it has received over the centuries.
The Joachim-Ma Stradivarius was crafted during Antonio Stradivari’s ‘Golden Period’ (1700–1725), a time widely regarded as his peak in craftsmanship. Another instrument from this era, the 1721 Lady Blunt Stradivarius, sold for $15.9 million USD in 2011, currently holding the record for the highest auction price for a musical instrument.
Other notable sales of ‘Golden Period’ Stradivarius violins include the 1714 da Vinci, ex-Seidel, which fetched $15.34 million USD, and the 1708 Empress Caterina, previously owned by Catherine the Great, which sold for $5.9 million USD.
The 1716 Messiah Stradivarius remains the most valuable Stradivarius violin due to its unparalleled preservation, described as being in “like new” condition. Estimated to be worth $20 million, it has been housed at Oxford’s Ashmolean Museum since 1854, bequeathed for preservation and as a resource for future violin makers. This masterpiece is unlikely to be sold in the foreseeable future.
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