by Joanne Garcia

The 1715 “Baron Knoop” violin by Stradivari recently sold at auction to an anonymous buyer for a record-breaking $23 million. The previous record holder was the 1721 “Lady Blunt” Stradivari violin, which sold in 2011 for $15.8 million. Both instruments were made during Antonio Stradivari’s Golden Period, from 1700 to 1721, the time period when the master produced what is said to be his best work. The “Baron Knoop” violin was in the possession of a private collector and violinist, David L. Fulton, for over three decades. It was his first Stradivari violin, his favorite, and the instrument that inspired him to begin collecting. Mr. Fulton has described this violin as being the best of the best, and states that he’s never heard a better sounding violin.

Why are these instruments so incredibly valuable, and why are they sought after by collectors and musicians alike? Is their tone so superior to most other violins that they command this extreme cost?

There are several contributing factors to the extraordinary value these violins command. Firstly, at 300 years old, they are true antiques. Other items that are between 200 and 300 years old also tend to be quite valuable, such as art and coins. Examples of some other valuable antiques from this time period would be old Persian rugs, silver items made by Paul Revere, and very old or special coins. However, none of their values seem to reach into the stratosphere as these violins do. There are, of course, exceptional antiques, such as DaVinci’s The Last Supper or the Mona Lisa, or Michelangelo’s Pieta, all of which are valued higher than these instruments. These items are true art—obviously no longer being produced—and were created by masters of their craft. Some of these violins live in glass cases in museums while others change hands, being loaned to top musicians, or occasionally sold. Some are bequeathed or made available to other musicians—for example, Yo Yo Ma plays on Jacqueline du Pre’s Stradivari cello, and Sarah Chang received Issac Stern’s violin, not a Strad but of similar quality and value, a Guarneri del Gesu.

Although Stradivari was blessed with a very long 93-year life, and produced over 1000 instruments, only a finite number—650—survive in the entire world today. Collectors want them for their collections and are willing to pay whatever it takes to acquire them. Considering that the previous owner of the “Baron Knoop” Strad purchased it for $2.75 million about 30 years ago, they may be very good investments, indeed!

A master craftsman, Stradivari’s violins demonstrated his skill as they are beautifully carved and made from his own patterns. The tone has been described as clear and pure, like a female voice. It is believed that the wood was chemically treated either by Stradivari himself or perhaps he purchased it that way. Scientists even hypothesized that there was a change in weather and climate during the 17th century that caused trees to grow slower. The denser wood from alpine maple and spruce made for fine tone wood. Stradivari’s varnish is said to have included minerals, such as copper and aluminum, which may’ve contributed to the tonal quality of his instruments. The truth of the matter is, no one really knows exactly why they are all so unique and have such sweet voices.

Itzhak Perlman, Midori, and Joshua Bell all play on Stradivarius violins. If you’ve seen any of them perform live, you have most likely listened to a Stradivarius in the hands of skilled musician. If you’re old enough to remember Jack Benny (a comedian who was also a skilled musician), he also owned a Stradivarius violin, which was worth only about $30k back in the day. What makes these instruments so special? Why are they the gold standard of instruments? Three hundred years have passed and there have been so many technological advances in violin making. Can’t we make a violin that’s even better?

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and that also applies to acoustics. In a double-blind test performed in 2011, several old Italian and modern instruments were tested by seasoned musicians. Most of the musicians couldn’t separate them, indicating that the modern instruments may sound just as beautiful, if not better, than those of the old master, yet none of them have such a high price tag. And in a 2017 experiment, most listeners preferred the modern instruments!

Scientists have performed much analysis and tests on acoustics and the materials used for these instruments, and yet, no one really knows why these instruments sound the way they do. They are so special, in fact, that Stradivari’s pattern is still in use today, and modern makers strive for beauty in craftsmanship and sound, just like he did in his day. Have any of them achieved superior sound? Perhaps...