I was in a museum in Florence, Italy two years ago and happened upon this fiddle.
It was an exhibit of “early instruments”. That fiddle was fairly young compared to some of the other instruments that were on display!
Any clue what Strats are going for these days? $3 mil? $5 mil? Higher?
(You may want to click on the photo so you can see more of it)
Wow. I bet my fiddle bow screech would have better tone on that instrument. My alternate self-dedicating comment involved tone when I hit my patented B# note.
Seriously, that is a beautiful instrument in what sounds like an interesting museum.
So sad to see instruments locked away for display…terrible waste of craftsmanship…
I agree with this 100%. It always frustrates me a little when I look at the pictures of the American banjo museum and see instruments like the pre-war Gibson style 7 and hundreds of others just sitting there for no one to touch or play. What’s the point?
Ha ha.
Could you imagine getting that thing tuned up and spending the day with it?
This was in Leonardo Da Vinci’s museum in Florence. It was not a permanent display (the musical instruments) but what I felt like (Italian/English barrier) was something that came around every 5-10 years.
I know my wife came over to me and said “Hey there’s a musical instrument section on the other side, do you want to go see it”. I was like “heck yeah”.
When I walked in this was pretty much the centerpiece, knew it when it came into view (well not really) and said “Don’t tell me that’s a Stradivarius”…made a b-line for it and managed to snap a pic or two before I drooled all over the glass.
Save it Dave! Break out the wallet and snatch her up. (ha ha).
I agree btw.
Several years back a viola made by Antonio Stradivari was auctioned by Sothebys with a starting bid of $45 million dollars. No one bought it though. At that price I will be keeping my viola for a while.
Looks they live in the same world as we not-so-successful musicians…
"“Most even very successful musicians are not able to purchase their own instruments these days, with good Stradivari instruments costing anything from about $5 million upwards,”
The struggle is real!