A Stradivarius violin was sold for $11.3 million at a public auction held on Friday in New York, making it the third-highest price ever paid for a musical instrument, according to Sotheby’s auction house. The record price is held by another Stradivarius violin, “Lady Blunt,” which sold in 2011 for $15.9 million.
Mary Claudia Jiménez, head of Sotheby’s in the Americas, explained that this violin represents the peak of craftsmanship and the history of classical music, noting that its unique and deep sound has captivated both collectors and musicians alike.
This unique musical instrument is called the “Joachim ex-Stradivari,” named after its previous owners. It was crafted by Antonio Stradivari in 1714 during his “Golden Era.” It was also owned by violinist Si-Hon Ma, who donated it to the New England Conservatory (NEC) in Boston, where he was studying, on the condition that it be sold one day to fund a scholarship. Prior to that, the violin belonged to Joseph Joachim, one of the most famous violinists of the 19th century.
