A 311-Year-Old Stradivarius Violin Sells for $11.25 Million at Sotheby's

[mahatmakanejeeves]

Source: New York Times

A 311-Year-Old Stradivarius Violin Sells for $11.25 Million at Sotheby’s

The money from the sale of the violin, which was once owned by the 19th-century virtuoso Joseph Joachim, will benefit a scholarship program at the New England Conservatory.


The Stradivarius was sold by Sotheby’s. Angela Weiss/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images

By Javier C. Hernández
Feb. 7, 2025
Updated 12:16 p.m. ET

A 311-year-old Stradivarius violin sold for $11.25 million at Sotheby’s on Friday, in a closely watched auction that drew interest from investors, collectors and classical musicians.

The violin was made by the famed Italian luthier Antonio Stradivari in 1714, during the so-called golden period of violin making. It was later owned by one of the greatest violinists of the 19th century, the Hungarian-born virtuoso Joseph Joachim, a close associate of Johannes Brahms.

The Stradivarius was sold by the New England Conservatory, which plans to use the proceeds of the sale to endow a student scholarship program. The instrument was previously owned by an alumnus of the school, Si-Hon Ma, who died in 2009. His estate donated the instrument to the New England Conservatory in 2015 with a provision that it could one day be sold to finance student scholarships.

“Now we really have the chance to have it benefit so many more students — generations of students to come,” said Andrea Kalyn, the president of the conservatory.

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Javier C. Hernández reports on classical music, opera and dance in New York City and beyond. More about Javier C. Hernández
https://www.nytimes.com/by/javier-c-hernandez

Read more: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/07/arts/music/stradivarius-violin-10-million-auction.html

[Old Crank]

1. That is very good

I just hope it went to a person who will play it or let it be played.

[rampartd]

2. my hope that the instrument find a suitable violinist

and be heard for many more generations.

[Martin Eden]

5. Yes, it was made to be played

Shame if it is just a commodity to be looked at.

[soldierant]

8. It's fairly customary for the owner of such a violin

to put it on loan, often without compensation, to a virtuoso for a specified period. People who invest in musical instruments tend to be aware that they were made to be played, and that if they are not played for a significant amount of time, they deteriorate and this depreciate - so this kind od a deal is simply protecting their investment.

I hope tp be hearing about such an arrangement soon (Performance Today on APR often gets information on such arrangements and shares it.)

[rampartd]

9. we do not live in "fairly customary" times

i would not be surprised to find a bitcoin billionaire using this precious instrument for firewood.

i hope we hear about a loan arrangement soon.

[soldierant]

10. YOu would be right if taste were the only or primary consideration.

But it's also a question of money. A loan arrangement adds value rather than destroying it.

[Silent Type]

3. Knew -- though not well -- a symphony orchestra violinist who was loaned a Stradivarius. He left it in a taxi or

something.

This was like 50 years ago. I think it was recovered, but not sure.

[twodogsbarking]

4. How much is shipping?

[slightlv]

6. I'm happy that the sale will be going towards

developing a scholarship program. But the story makes me sick. I appreciate antique and ancient works of art, but when so many in the world are hurting, hungry, or in pain it just sickens me that there's someone who has so much money that they can afford to drop 11 million dollars on a violin (I respect it as a true musical instrument and a work of art). It's just, I feel like the auction was a symptom of our sick society. The "haves" can drop millions without fear of it hurting them, while most of the rest of the world goes to bed hungry. (SMDH)

[EX500rider]

7. "most of the rest of the world goes to bed hungry" hardly most