A Stradivarius violin sells for $11.3 million at auction, falling short of record
A Stradivarius violin sold for $11.25 million at auction on Friday, showing the continued appeal of the legendary instruments, yet falling short of a record.
Video from the auction at Sotheby’s in New York City shows auctioneer Phyllis Kao opening bidding at $8 million. Bids quickly rose to $10 million, then bidding ceased.
The final price includes auction house fees. Sotheby’s said it could not share information about the identity of the buyer. The auction house had expected the instrument to sell for $12 to $18 million.
Sotheby’s referred to the violin as the Joachim-Ma violin, which was built by Antonio Stradivari in 1714 in Cremona, Italy. It was most notable for having been played for decades by Joseph Joachim, one of the most famous violinists of the 19th century. It was acquired by violinist Si-Hon Ma in 1967, whose estate donated it to the New England Conservatory after his death.
The Conservatory, which has had the violin for the last decade, said the sale proceeds will go toward a scholarship program.
“The sale is transformational for future students, and proceeds will establish the largest named endowed scholarship at New England Conservatory. It has been an honor to have the Joachim-Ma Stradivari on campus, and we are eager to watch its legacy continue on the world stage,” Andrea Kalyn, the Conservatory’s president, said in a statement.
The record for the biggest sum paid for a musical instrument at auction remains with the “Lady Blunt” Stradivarius, made in 1721, which fetched $15.9 million in 2011.
Is Edinburgh’s Fringe still fringe, or has it — gasp — gone mainstream?
It began on the edgy margins of a mainstream festival — which it's now eclipsed. But nearly 80 years on, performers and spectators say rising costs threaten the Fringe's alternative vibe.
Library of Congress acquires only known lyrics sketch of ‘Over the Rainbow’
Scrawled in pencil on a scrap of yellow legal paper by lyricist E.Y. "Yip" Harburg, the artifact is among dozens of treasures from The Wizard of Oz donated by composer Harold Arlen's sister-in-law Rita Arlen.
Kilmar Abrego Garcia detained by ICE during Baltimore check-in
The detention, which was expected, happened after Abrego Garcia walked into the Immigration and Customs Enforcement building in Baltimore for a check-in after being released from custody on Friday.
Voters weigh in on Birmingham’s future ahead of city election
Birmingham voters will choose from among nine candidates for mayor in elections Tuesday. When residents around the city were asked to share what is on their minds as they head to the ballot box, two issues rose to the top.
Whatever happened to … the race to cure HIV? There’s promising news
At the International AIDS Society meeting this year, a young woman from South Africa spoke. She is the first Black woman from Africa to be potentially cured of HIV.
These fish may feel pleasure while being groomed by other fish
An experiment with threadfin butterflyfish finds that these fish may experience pleasure while being cleaned by bluestreak cleaner wrasse — suggesting this capacity goes far back in animal evolution.
