In 1879, the revered Hungarian violinist Joseph Joachimconsidered one of the most influential musicians of the 19th century, performed at the premiere of the Violin Concerto in D major from your friend Johannes Brahmsunder the direction of the composer himself. Today, the concerto is seen as one of the most iconic pieces of classical music ever played on a violin, and Joachim he performed it on a Stradivarius.
Now known as the Joachim-Ma Stradivariusthe violin will be up for auction by Sotheby’s New York on February 7. Its valuation of between 12 and 18 million dollars puts it on track to become the most expensive musical instrument ever sold. The current record belongs to Lady Blunt Stradivariusnamed after its previous owner and Lord Byron’s granddaughter, which sold for $15.9 million in 2011.
What distinguishes the Joachim-Ma It is not only its rarity and impeccable craftsmanship, but also its excellent provenance and pristine condition. “This violin can be played tomorrow and enjoyed not only as a beautiful piece of art, but as a functional instrument,” he says. Mari-Claudia Jimenezpresident and head of global business development at Sotheby’s.
The 300-year-old violin was created by the Italian master Antonio Stradivari in 1714 during its renowned “golden period.” It was during this time that Stradivarius He honed his craft and created violins that are still considered unparalleled in the quality of their sound today. “Stradivarius violins, with their depth and warmth, are considered the best instruments that Stradivarius did, and Stradivarius “He is the best of the best,” says Jimenez.
Eighty-eight years after the historic performance of Joachimwhich coincided with the 60th anniversary of the teacher’s death, Si-Hon Maa violinist and educator, purchased the instrument with the proceeds from his invention of the Sihon silencer, a sound damper that sits behind the bridge of string instruments and does not need to be removed when not in use. He played the violin until his death in 2009.
Seven years later, after having spent time in the Cremona Violin Museumthe heritage of Ma honored his wish that the instrument be donated to his alma mater, the New England Conservatory. The school, which was the first independent music conservatory in the US and teaches 775 students from around the world, has been using the instrument selectively ever since. “A small number of individual students have touched it over the years, and it has been an extraordinary experience for them,” says NEC president Andrea Kalyn.
but the violin Joachim-Ma Stradivarius It was given to the school on the condition that it could one day be sold to support student scholarships, and that time has come. Proceeds from the auction will go toward establishing the largest named scholarship in the school’s history and other funds. “We have invested a lot of resources into preserving the instrument over the years and now we want to move those resources and the proceeds from the sale to support our students and future students,” Kalyn says.
The Stradivarius auction comes at a time when the ultra-wealthy are seeking increasingly eclectic pieces to add to their collections.
“We have firmly entered the world of selling extraordinary things that can almost transcend art and its utilitarian use,” says Sotheby’s Jiminez. “When you have as much money as some of our clients, you run out of things to buy. “People are getting richer, the wealth figures are exponentially higher than they were 20 years ago, and this leads to people buying all kinds of different things that they didn’t buy before.”
Citadel’s Ken Griffin is a good example. Earlier this year, the billionaire bought a Stegosaurus dinosaur skeleton called Apex for €42.1 million ($44.6 million), and in 2021, at the height of the latest cryptocurrency surge, he bought a copy of the US Constitution for 42.9 million euros (43.2 million dollars), both through Sotheby’s. Griffin has loaned his copy of the constitution to the Crystal Bridges American Art Museum in Arkansas and promised to similarly loan the dinosaur to a museum.
“Ken doesn’t usually collect these things, but because our collectors can have anything they want, they buy really special things,” Jimenez explains.
The growing multimillion-dollar market for unique objects, including rare folios of Shakespeareancient texts and sports memorabilia, is a positive sign that the violin Joachim-Ma Stradivarius could be well on its way to meeting, or even exceeding, its valuation at next year’s auction.
“This isn’t just something a violin or instrument fan would want,” Jimenez says, noting that it would be ideal if he wanted to play it. “This is for anyone who wants to own something that is the best of the best, the most extraordinary or the most special of its kind.”
For those wanting a look before the February auction, potential buyers and admirers can see the Joachim-Ma Stradivarius at exhibitions in London and Hong Kong early in the new year.
Fuente: Bloomberg L.P. / The Washington Post.
(Photos and video: Sotheby’s Press)
