Stradivarius fetches record $16 million in charity sale
A rare Stradivarius violin that once belonged to the granddaughter of English poet Lord Byron sold for a record 9.8 million pounds ($15.9 million) at auction on Monday in a charity sale for Japanese disaster relief.
The 1721 violin was bought by an anonymous bidder for around four times the previous auction record for a Stradivari violin, according to Tarisio, the online auction house for fine instruments.
Proceeds from the sale will go to aid Japan after the recent natural disasters through the Nippon Foundation’s Northeastern Japan Earthquake and Tsunami Relief Fund.