A rare violin crafted by the legendary Antonio Stradivari in 1714 is set to go under the hammer at Sotheby’s in New York this Friday, with an estimated value between $12 million and $18 million. If it reaches the higher end of this range, it could become the most expensive musical instrument ever sold, surpassing the Lady Blunt Stradivarius, which fetched £9,808,000 ($15.9 million at the time) in a 2011 private online sale—earning it a Guinness World Record.
The Joachim-Ma Stradivarius originates from Stradivari’s Golden Period (circa 1700-1720), a time when his craftsmanship reached its peak. “This is the best violin of this era,” said Mari-Claudia Jimenez, Sotheby’s Americas president and head of global business, as reported by ABC News.
Named after two of its most renowned owners, Hungarian virtuoso Joseph Joachim and esteemed violinist and teacher Si-Hon Ma, the instrument holds a significant place in music history. Joachim famously performed the premiere of Brahms’ Violin Concerto on this very violin. Brahms, a close friend of Joachim, was deeply familiar with his instrument’s rich and resonant tone, which is believed to have influenced the composition of his masterpiece.
Si-Hon Ma acquired the violin in 1969 and later bequeathed it to his alma mater, the New England Conservatory in Boston. The conservatory has now chosen to auction the violin, with all proceeds dedicated to funding student scholarships.
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