Joachim Stradivari Sells for $11.25 million, Not Breaking Record

February 7, 2025, 4:48 PM · After much media hype and hope about a Golden-Period Stradivari violin poised to break the world record to become the most expensive musical instrument ever sold, the fiddle sold on Friday for $11.25 million - not breaking the record.

Sotheby’s of Manhattan had been promoting a price of $18 million for the 1714 "Joachim-Ma" Stradivari violin, hoping it would break a price record was set in 2011, when the 1721 "Lady Blunt" Stradivari violin was sold by Tarisio for $15,875,800.

Left: The 1714 "Joachim-Ma" Stradivari violin. Image courtesy Sotheby's. Right: Violinist Joseph Joachim. Image courtesy Art Institute of Chicago.

"But the bidding began at $8 million, and it sold for $10 million," according to the New York Times. "With buyer’s fees, the price came to $11.25 million." The name of the buyer was not disclosed.

The instrument was sold by the New England Conservatory, which had received the instrument in 2015 as a gift from the estate of violinist Si-Hon Ma, an alumnus of the school. Ma had owned the instrument since 1967. NEC, which had loaned the violin to four students in the intervening years, plans to use the proceeds from Friday's sale to endow a student scholarship program.

On Friday, violinist and NEC graduate Geneva Lewis performed the Largo from Bach’s Sonata No. 3 on the instrument as a demonstration before the auction.

If you would like to hear the instrument, the promotional video below, made by Sotheby's, features violinist Charlie Siem, who plays excerpts from the Brahms concerto, Bach and other works on the violin. It also describes the "Joachim-Ma" Strad's history, from being made in Cremona by Stradivari, to being in the possession of the great Hungarian violinist Joseph Joachim. It makes a case that Joachim likely used it when he played the 1879 premiere of Brahms’s Violin Concerto. Of course, there are many "Joachim" Strads (at least 10), including a 1715 Strad currently played by Ray Chen.

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Replies

Jeff Terflinger

February 8, 2025 at 12:22 AM ·

How much did the Guarneri "del Gesù" that Anne Akiko Meyers plays, cost? I think is was more than the Strad auctioned today.

Stephen Symchych

February 8, 2025 at 05:32 AM · But she— or her source of funds— paid retail, I believe.

Mark Breiger

February 8, 2025 at 06:31 PM · Someone got a bargain. Hopefully it is put to good use.

Bill Palmer

February 9, 2025 at 04:05 AM · To clarify, the Lady Blunt has the highest price of a musical instrument sold at auction. Dealer/retail sales are often higher, and few are eager to disclose prices. Also of interest is the claim that this violin was used for the premiere of op. 77 — difficult to know for certain. A late friend of mine owned the Joachim “del Gesu” violin of 1737 which is also claimed to be the instrument used for the premiere! He told me he had declined a private offer of $20,000,000 for the instrument.

Matthew Metz

February 9, 2025 at 02:26 PM · It's unfortunate NEC will not get as much money as hoped. That the absolute maximum amount of money is not being transferred from those that have too much to scholarship and endowment funds meant to help the many is disappointing. But still good the proceeds will be used in a good and more useful way.