A Stradivari violin made in 1714 sells for $11.3M at auction
Sotheby's auction house had estimated that the "Joachim-Ma Stradivarius' violin could sell for between $12 million and $18 million, with the higher end of the range potentially eclipsing the record-breaking $15.9 million someone paid for another Stradivari violin at auction more than a decade ago.
The "Joachim-Ma Stradivarius' is regarded as one of Stradivari's best works, built during his "Golden Period' at the height of his craftsmanship and acoustic mastery, according to the auction house.
Adding to the intrigue, the violin is believed to have influenced legendary composer Johannes Brahms when he wrote the famed "Violin Concerto in D Major' and was actually played during the concerto's 1879 premiere.
"This extraordinary violin represents the pinnacle of craftsmanship and classical music history, its unparalleled sound and storied provenance captivating collectors and musicians alike,' Mari-Claudia Jimenez, chair at Sotheby's. "The Joachim-Ma Stradivarius garnered global attention, achieving one of the highest prices ever for a musical instrument - an acknowledgment of its rarity and historical importance.'
Bidding at Sotheby's began at $8 million and within seconds shot up to $10 million, as auctioneer Phyllis Kao scanned the room, looking for someone to put up $10.5 million.
"Am I selling? At $10 million,' she said, looking to potential bidders.
The room was quiet.
"Last chance, at $10 million," she said. "I can sell, and I will, at $10 million, unless you go on.'
"Sold. $10 million," she said, banging a gavel.
The final price includes auction house fees.
The name of the instrument comes from two of its famous violin virtuoso owners, Joseph Joachim of Hungary and Si-Hon Ma of China. Ma's estate gifted the violin to the New England Conservatory in Boston after his death.
The conservatory will use the proceeds to fund student scholarships.
"The sale is transformational for future students, and proceeds will establish the largest named endowed scholarship at New England Conservatory,' said Andrea Kalyn, president of 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.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Arab Times
12 hours ago
- Arab Times
Gwyneth Paltrow joins company at center of Coldplay KissCam drama
BOSTON, July 27, (AP): Astronomer - the company whose CEO resigned after being caught on a KissCam at a Coldplay rock concert embracing a woman who was not his wife - is trying to move on from the drama with someone who knows the band pretty well. Actress Gwyneth Paltrow, who was married to Coldplay's frontman Chris Martin for 13 years, announced Friday on X that she has been hired by Astronomer as a spokesperson. Astronomer, a tech company based in New York, found itself in an uncomfortable spotlight when two of its executives were caught on camera in an intimate embrace at a Coldplay concert - a moment that was then flashed on a giant screen in the stadium. CEO Andy Byron and human resource executive Kristin Cabot were caught by surprise when Martin asked the cameras to scan the crowd during a concert earlier this month. "Either they're having an affair or they're just very shy,' Martin joked when the couple appeared on screen and quickly tried to hide their faces. In a short video, the "Shakespeare in Love' and "Ironman' star said she had been hired as a "very temporary' spokesperson for Astronomer. "Astronomer has gotten a lot of questions over the last few days, and they wanted me to answer the most common ones,' Paltrow said, smiling and deftly avoiding mention of the KissCam fuss. "We've been thrilled that so many people have a newfound interest in data workflow automation,' she said. "We will now be returning to what we do best - delivering game-changing results for our customers.' When footage from the KissCam first spread online, it wasn't immediately clear who the couple were. Soon after the company identified the pair, and Byron resigned followed by Cabot. The video clip resulted in a steady stream of memes, parody videos, and screenshots of the pair's shocked faces filling social media feeds. Online streams of Coldplay's songs jumped 20% in the days after the video went viral, according to Luminate, an industry data and analytics company.
Arab Times
15 hours ago
- Arab Times
Trump's meeting with a key European official comes as tariff deadline nears
EDINBURGH, Scotland, July 27, (AP): Donald Trump is meeting Sunday with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, taking a break from golfing in Scotland to discuss trade as both sides seek an agreement on tariff rates now that the White House's deadline to impose stiff tariff rates is looming. Trump played golf Saturday at his course in Turnberry on the southwest coast of Scotland and is expected to hit the links again frequently during his five-day visit. On Tuesday, he'll be in Aberdeen, in northeast Scotland, where his family has another golf course and is opening a third next month. Trump and his son Eric are planning to help cut the ribbon on the new course, where public tee times starting Aug. 13 are already on offer. The visit with von der Leyen is expected to be behind closed doors and few further details have been released. Leaving the White House on Friday, Trump said "we have a 50-50 chance, maybe less than that, but a 50-50 chance of making a deal with the EU.' He said the deal would have to "buy down' the currently scheduled tariff rate of 30% on the bloc of 27 member states. Later, von der Leyen posted on X that, "Following a good call' with Trump, the pair had 'agreed to meet in Scotland on Sunday to discuss transatlantic trade relations, and how we can keep them strong.' The US and EU seemed close to reaching a deal earlier this month, but Trump instead threatened a 30% tariff rate on the bloc of nations. Still, Trump's original deadline for beginning such tariffs has already passed, and is now delayed until at least Friday. Flying to Scotland to enjoy his golf courses hasn't stopped the president from talking trade. After going to Turnberry to play nine holes, have lunch, then play nine more, Trump posted that he'd block any trade deals between the US and Cambodia and Thailand since the two southeast Asian countries remain locked in violent clashes in long-disputed border areas. Trump wrote that he spoke with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet and Phumtham Wechayachai, the acting prime minister of Thailand, to call for a ceasefire. "I am trying to simplify a complex situation!' he wrote on Truth Social after disclosing his conversation with the Cambodian leader. After speaking with Wechayachai, Trump said both countries want peace and added: "Ceasefire, Peace, and Prosperity seems to be a natural.' The actual likelihood of a deal with the EU, meanwhile, remains to be seen. Trump recently said he thought the odds of reaching a framework with Japan was 25% - but the U.S. and Japan subsequently announced an agreement this past week.
Arab Times
a day ago
- Arab Times
Ziad Rahbani, Lebanese composer and son of icon Fayrouz, dies at 69
BEIRUT, July 26, (AP): Ziad Rahbani, a visionary Lebanese composer, playwright, pianist and political provocateur, died on Saturday, at the age of 69, according to the state-run National News Agency. The death was confirmed by a person close to Rahbani who spoke on condition of anonymity. The cause of death was not immediately clear. Born in 1956 in Antelias, near Beirut, Ziad was the eldest son of legendary Lebanese singer Fayrouz and late composer Assi Rahbani, one half of the famed Rahbani Brothers. From a young age, he showed signs of prodigious talent, composing his first musical work at just 17 years old. Raised among artistic royalty, his world was steeped in music, theater, and political consciousness - a combination that would define his life's work. His mother, considered to be the most famous and esteemed performer in the Arab world, performed some of his compositions at her sellout concerts, blending Lebanese folklore with Western syncopation and phrasing. Lebanese President Joseph Aoun mourned Rahbani's death as a national loss, describing him as "not just an artist, but a complete intellectual and cultural phenomenon.' In a statement, Aoun praised Rahbani as "a living conscience, a rebellious voice against injustice, and an honest mirror reflecting the suffering and marginalized.' He highlighted how Rahbani's fusion of classical, jazz, and Oriental music "opened new windows for Lebanese cultural expression' and elevated it to global levels. "Ziad was a natural extension of the Rahbani family, which gave Lebanon much beauty and dignity,' the president added. While his parents helped construct a golden era of Lebanese musical theater steeped in idealism and nostalgia, Rahbani charged onto the scene with irreverent satire, unflinching political critique, and jazz-inflected scores that mirrored the chaos and contradictions of a Lebanon at war with itself. "I admire the music of composers like Charlie Parker, Stan Getz, and Dizzy Gillespie,' he once said. "But my music is not Western, it's Lebanese, with a different way of expression.' Rahbani's music reflected the hybrid heritage of Lebanon, which until the civil war erupted in 1975 was a cultural melting pot where East met West. But it was also deeply rooted in the traumatic events of the sectarian strife, the bloody street battles between rival militias and three years of violent Israeli occupation after the 1982 invasion. His breakout play, Nazl el-Sourour (Happiness Hotel), premiered in 1974 when he was only 17 and portrayed a society disfigured by class inequality and repression. The tragicomic narrative follows a group of workers who hijack a restaurant to demand their rights, only to be dismissed by the political elite. With this bold debut, Rahbani revealed his enduring theme: that Lebanese society was fractured not only by war but by entrenched power. A leftist Greek Orthodox, Rahbani also wrote plays and satirical radio shows centered on his violent environment that mock the sectarian divisions of his country. Rahbani's subsequent plays solidified his reputation as the voice of the disenchanted. In Bennesbeh Labokra Chou? (What About Tomorrow?), He plays a jaded bar pianist in post-civil war Beirut who drifts through a surreal landscape of broken dreams, corruption, and absurdity. The work features some of Rahbani's most poignant music and biting commentary, including the famous line, "They say tomorrow will be better, but what about today?' Prime Minister Nawaf Salam also mourned Rahbani's loss, describing him as "an exceptional and creative artist-a free voice who remained true to the values of justice and dignity.' More than just a playwright, Rahbani was a composer of staggering range. He infused traditional Arabic melodies with jazz, funk, and classical influences, creating a hybrid sound that became instantly recognizable. His live performances were legendary, whether playing piano in smoky clubs in Hamra, one of Beirut's major commercial districts that harbors a multifaceted identity, or orchestrating large-scale productions. His collaborations with Fayrouz, especially during the late 1970s and 1980s, ushered in a darker, more politically charged phase in her career. Songs like Ouverture 83, Bala Wala Chi (Without Anything), and Kifak Inta (How Are You) reflected Ziad's brooding compositions and lyrical introspection. Rahbani came under fire from Arab traditionalists for his pioneering efforts to bridge the gap between Arab and Western culture with music. In recent years, Ziad appeared less in the public eye, yet his influence never waned. Younger generations rediscovered his plays online and sampled his music in protest movements. He continued to compose and write, speaking often of his frustration with Lebanon's political stagnation and decaying public life. Rahbani is survived by his mother, Fayrouz, now 90, his sister Reema, and brother Hali.
