A violin handcrafted in 1714 by Antonio Stradivari, the famous Italian luthier, has been sold for $11.25 million by Boston’s New England Conservatory (NEC) at a Sotheby’s auction. The music school will use the proceeds from the storied violin’s sale to create a new scholarship opportunity for students.

The money from the sale of the violin, which was once owned by the 19th-century virtuoso Joseph Joachim, will benefit a scholarship program at the New England Conservatory.

A violin made in 1714 by the legendary luthier Antonio Stradivari sold for $11.3 million at an auction in New York on Friday, short of estimates that would have made it the most expensive instrument ever sold.

Stradivarius violins often sell for millions. There's a long history behind them, and violinists who swear they sound better than modern ones.

There is a certain paradox to the greatest violins. No matter how uniform the testimony of their players and audiences, a skeptic might question their supremacy. After all, these instruments have been played, for centuries now, by the most gifted violinists in the world — the ones who can coax, from any instrument, the most varied colors and tones.

A Sotheby's auction is slated to sell an important musical instrument crafted by a noted violin maker later this week. It possibly could be auctioned to the tune of millions of dollars.

The conservatory plans to establish the largest student scholarship fund in its history with the proceeds from the 311-year-old instrument. Master luthier Antonio Stradivari crafted the instrument in Cremona,

A Stradivarius violin has sold for $11.25 million (£9 million), with the auction house claiming it is one of the most expensive musical instruments ever sold.

Going up for auction at Sotheby's in New York, it was estimated to fetch around $15 million, as the brand value is simply 'Strad-ospheric.'

Violinist Stefan Jackiw holds the 1714 Joachim-Ma Stradivarius at Sotheby's auction house in New York, 3 Feb 2025.