In 2011, the Stradivarius violin known as the “Lady Blunt” sold for $15.9 million—four times the amount for any previous Stradivarius. The hefty price tag for these instruments is commensurate with their reputation. The Scottish violinist Nicola Benedetti, who plays the 1717 “Gariel” Strad, has spoken of its “addictive quality,” while Anne-Sophie Mutter, who plays the 1710 “Lord Dunn-Raven,” has described how “these Stradivari violins have the amazing capacity to keep the substance of their sound, even when playing at the quietest pianissimo.” Stradivari’s instruments are also rare: only around 650 are believed to have survived.
Pieces of History
On The Stradivarius Myth
