Rare, Pristine Stradivarius Violin Could Break All-Time Auction Record

In 1879 the revered Hungarian violinist Joseph Joachim, widely regarded as among the most influential musicians of the 19th century, performed at the premiere of his friend Johannes Brahms’ self-conducted Violin Concerto in D Major. The concerto is seen today as one of the most iconic pieces of classical music ever played on a violin, and Joachim performed it on a Stradivarius.

Now known as the Joachim-Ma Stradivarius, the violin is up for auction by Sotheby’s New York on Feb. 7. It’s valuation of between $12 to $18 million sets it up to become the most expensive music instrument ever sold. The current record belongs to the Lady Blunt Stradivarius, named after its former owner and granddaughter of Lord Byron, which sold for $15.9 million in 2011.