Day: October 6, 2024

The Most Expensive Violins in the World

If you have ever expensive violins in the world violin in a high-profile concert or heard a virtuoso perform, you might have wondered why those instruments are so expensive. The answer is that they’re not just any old violins. They are precious works of art crafted by legendary luthiers, some dating back hundreds of years. While you can certainly find inexpensive violins from the Sears or Montgomery Ward variety, a violin crafted by the famous Italian luthier Antonio Stradivari, for example, can easily sell for millions of dollars.

Stradivari created about 1100 violins, but only 650 survive today. Those crafted during his “golden period,” from 1700 through 1725, are especially prized. They have extraordinary acoustic properties and peerless workmanship. One such instrument, the “ex-Szigeti” Guarneri del Gesu from 1724, recently reached a price tag of $16 million. It is currently lent to violinist Anne Akiko Meyers, on loan for the rest of her life.

The Stradivarius Effect: Why These Violins Are the Most Expensive in the World

Another highly coveted violin is the “Lady Blunt” Stradivarius, a rare and well-preserved instrument from the same time period that was named after a British equestrian and animal rights activist. The violin was previously owned by a renowned philanthropist and is valued at $15 million.

A third violin, the “Lord Wilton” Guarneri del Gesu of 1742 is also worth a staggering amount of money. This venerable instrument is considered one of the finest ever created and has been used by violinists such as Itzhak Perlman and Pinchas Zukerman.