An anonymous bidder has broken the world record with their win
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A Stradivarius violin has been sold for £9 million at an auction in London
All proceeds from the sale are going towards the aid of victims of the Japanese earthquake and tsunami. An anonymous bidder at the Tarisio auction paid £9,808,000 for the violin, which dated back to 1721. This amount is four times more than the previous record for an auctioned Stradivari violin.
The rare instrument, said to be in immaculate condition, was once owned by Lady Anne Blunt, granddaughter of the revered English poet Lord Byron.
In 2008 the violin was acquired by Tokyo-based Nippon Music Foundation who loan instruments, free of charge, to some of the leading musicians around the world. All of the funds from the sale are being put towards victims through the Northeastern Japan Earthquake and Tsunami Relief Fund, which was set up by the group.
Before the sale a spokesperson for the group said, ‘The Nippon Music Foundation sees the instruments in its care as irreplaceably important. However, it has decided that the extremity of the disaster in northeastern Japan is something that overrides such feelings and is therefore selling the instrument to aid the people of that area.’
By James Massoud
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