Antonio Stradivari was a master violin maker who lived in Cremona, Italy, from 1644 to 1737. He is considered to be one of the greatest violin makers of all time, and his instruments are highly prized by collectors and musicians alike.
There are an estimated 1,116 Stradivarius violins in existence today. Of these, about 650 are still playable. The remaining violins are either broken, damaged, or missing.
There are a number of reasons why Stradivarius violins might be missing. Some violins were lost during wars or natural disasters. Others were stolen. Still others were simply misplaced or forgotten.
In recent years, there has been a growing interest in tracking down missing Stradivarius violins. In 2010, the Stradivari Trust was founded with the goal of locating and returning missing Stradivarius instruments to their rightful owners.
The Stradivari Trust has had some success in its efforts. In 2012, the Trust helped to recover a Stradivarius violin that had been missing for over 100 years. The violin was found in a private collection in the United States.
The Stradivari Trust is still actively searching for missing Stradivarius violins. If you have any information about a missing Stradivarius instrument, please contact the Stradivari Trust.
Here are some of the most famous Stradivarius violins that are missing:
- The Messiah: The Messiah is considered to be the finest Stradivarius violin ever made. It was made in 1716 and is currently missing.
- The Lady Blunt: The Lady Blunt is a Stradivarius violin that was made in 1721. It was stolen in 1971 and has not been seen since.
- The Davidov Stradivarius: The Davidov Stradivarius is a Stradivarius violin that was made in 1712. It was stolen in 1995 and has not been seen since.
If any of these violins are ever found, they will be worth a fortune. The Messiah is estimated to be worth over $100 million. The Lady Blunt and the Davidov Stradivarius are each estimated to be worth over $50 million.
The search for missing Stradivarius violins is a fascinating and challenging one. It is a race against time to find these priceless instruments before they are lost forever.
