This 308-year-old violin could be the most expensive violin ever made

The violin has always been called "Da Vinci," but since Tosha Seidl parted ways with it, it's been called "Da Vinci, ex Seidel." In the previous article, we have already introduced.

The violin has always been called "Da Vinci," but since Tosha Seidl parted ways with it, it's been called "Da Vinci, ex Seidel."

If you've heard The Wizard of Oz's "Somewhere Over the Rainbow," then you've probably experienced the emotional tone of the 1714 "da Vinci, ex-Seidel" violin.


The famous instrument, made in Italy by Antonio Stradivari, is expected to sell for around $20 million on June 9 at Tarisio, an auction house specializing in bowed and stringed instruments. Before the auction, it will hold special private viewing exhibitions in London, Berlin, Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong and New York.

This Stradivarius violin is on track to surpass the previous Stradivarius sales record; eleven years ago, the auction house sold another rare instrument in a charity auction that raised $16 million for victims of the 2011 Japan earthquake and tsunami. Unlike its predecessor, "Da Vinci, Ex Seidel" isn't just for collecting -- it can also be played.


The violin's unusual name refers both to its signature sound and to its most famous player.

Tarisio's director, Carlos Tome, told Bloomberg that the instrument "has a sweet, deep and powerful sound, and it's something that really gets you there."

On June 9, Tarisio estimated that the violin would sell for about $20 million.

"Da Vinci" has been part of its nickname since the 1920s, inspired by the Italian artist Leonardo da Vinci. According to Talisio's Jason Price, Caressa & Francais, one of the auction houses that sold the violin in the 1920s, "christened" the violin with the artist's name. This isn't the only time owner Albert Caresa has named a violin after an Italian Renaissance artist. He named the other two Stradivaris "Titian" and "Michelangelo".

The other part of the name, "ex-Seidel," refers to the instrument's previous owner, Russian-American virtuoso Toscha Seidel. This violin belonged to Seidel for about 40 years. Seidel initially paid $25,000 for the violin, which is more than $400,000 in today's dollars.


When Seidel, known as one of the greatest violinists of the 20th century, acquired the violin in 1924, it made the front page of The New York Times. When asked about the violin, Seidel told The Times, "...we are a perfect fit for each other and I believe it is one of the best examples of a famous violin maker." The violin is more refined.

The "Da Vinci" was more refined than other violins of the time.

Seidl is correct - this is one of Stradivari's finest works. Price wrote that the "da Vinci" was more refined than other violins of the time because of the narrower and more compact fringe or decorative edges.

With his "Da Vinci," the musician left an indelible mark on how Americans listen to violin music. He has performed with major orchestras and has had a prolific recording career. He had his own CBS network radio show and eventually moved to Hollywood. There, he played the violin for the 1939 film Interlude, in which violinist Leslie Howard fell in love with his accompaniment Ingrid Bergman, and for 1941's Melody for Three.

"We largely associate love scenes or depictions of the unfortunate in movies - or any scene that evokes tears or strong emotion - with the sound of the violin, thanks in large part to Seidl ," Adam Bell wrote for American Scholar. "...he laid the groundwork for a deepening love of the violin in the American mainstream."


But did he play on the soundtrack to MGM's The Wizard of Oz? Historian and Wizard of Oz expert John Frick said he could not confirm whether Seidel was the film's violin soloist, although it was possible, Jon Burlingame reports for Variety. Nonetheless, this is likely because Seidel was working for the studio in February 1939, and most of the film was recorded in May of that year.

Seidel's work resonates across different disciplines. He even gave Albert Einstein violin lessons in the 1930s and performed with him after the scientist moved to the United States in 1933. In return, Einstein biographer Walter Isaacson wrote that the physicist explained his new theory of relativity to Seidel and "had him move the drawing of the rod contracting in length" to illustrate key aspects of his theory one.

The famous violinist died in 1962. Although he was one of the most famous musicians of his era, today he is all but forgotten. But Seidel's musical legacy lives on with his fine violin.

"...We are very excited to showcase this instrument, the beautiful sound of which still speaks to us through the incomparable Toscha Seidel's many classic recordings and soundtracks," Tome said in a statement. "We can only imagine the excitement this instrument has brought to countless musicians and audiences over the centuries."