The Story of the $15 Million Da Vinci Stradivarius

Master Violin Maker and Restorer Olaf Grawert shares the history of the Da Vinci Stradivarius and watches the auction...
Be fully informed when you buy your next instrument. Get Olaf's free 7 essentials when buying an instrument report here: olafgrawertviolinstudio.com/7...
00:00 Introduction
00:34 What makes the Da Vinci Stradivarius such a valuable instrument?
07:53 Tarisio - TwoSet visit Tarisio
09:14 Lets look at the auction...
09:40 Famous violinists in 80's buying Strads.
10:47 What makes the Strad instruments so special - link to extra video
11:35 Auction update.....from the middle of the night
15:53 Conclusion
#myviolinmaker, #olafgrawertviolin #violin
Website: www.olafgrawertviolinstudio.com
Social: / olafgrawertviolinstudio
/ olafgrawertviolinstudi...

[@elissahunt]

I like your thought that high prices of antique violins will cause more modern violins to get attention from great players (and the public). While there is definitely a difference between a well-made violin and a cheap one, I think the player makes more difference than the instrument.

[@annelantoine4291]

The other thing is that Stradivarius made baroque violons. The construction is different. Those instruments were used with gut strings, with less tension on the strings. Modern violin are constructed differently, to be able to support modern strings and have more projection. Most of historic violins had consequent modifications during the XIXth to fit to the new aesthetic. So what you hear when you listen to a Stradivarius played at modern pitch with nylon strings has nothing to do with what it was when the violin was made.

[@SallyGreenaway]

I can absolutely attest to this. I played my friend's expensive professional level violin and sounded awful, and he played my ALDI violin and sounded incredible.

[@SallyGreenaway]

@just a random person haha true. It certainly sounded better than my attempts at playing it! That's kinda the gist of what I meant

[@fnersch3367]

Totally agree, witnessed this many times. A violinist friend of mine played beautifully on my $59 Skylark violin bought from Sears Roebuck & Co. She said it was quite good but did lack some brilliance in the high register which is typical of low end instruments.

[@blktauna]

I'm always sad so many of these wonderful old instruments never get played.

[@paulschmidt7473]

I think a lot of them do get played, they get loaned out to players, something that was occurring even back in the 1970's.

[@powellmountainmike8853]

When I lived in Providence, RI, I was good friends with Harry Kazarian. We often talked about violin making and playing. He was a very good player, much better than I am. As you may know, he owned a Stradivarius, an Omobono from 1728. I had the pleasure of playing that violin, and it was indeed a pure pleasure. Harry gave me several rare books on violin making, and also a number of violin making tools. He had studied violin making at Wurlitzer in New York. I remember him fondly.

[@tomswift6198]

It's like buying a house. An investor doesn't actually toss $13M of his own money into the auction. He borrows it. Very often he borrows it from the auction house itself, just as a car dealership borrows the money to buy GM cars from GM's own financing division. But unlike selling a car, the value of an investment property is solely the expectation of what it can later be sold for. If the buyer turns around in two years and sells the violin for, say, $15M (again, very often through the same auction house), he's made two million dollars in two years, and all it cost him was the interest on $13M he's been paying to the money lender. And why would the next buyer pay $15M for the violin? It's because he expects to turn it around in a few years for maybe $18M. The game continues until the market tops out, for whatever reason, and then somebody's stuck. But until then, any other virtue of the property is irrelevant. This all caused a bit of excitement a decade or so ago when it was leaked that one of the major art auction houses was itself financing the spectacular (or gross, depending on your viewpoint) inflation of paintings by certain dead artists. Not illegal, but somehow annoying. But it certainly accounts for some very strange market values. Now of course with instruments, buyers are not just interested in future selling price, but sometimes in reputation - whether or not it's merited. An orchestra would like some of its soloists to have instruments which the public believes to be special, and that makes something like this worthwhile for the orchestra to finance.

[@donbutler838]

You have been such a bright spot in my depressed life I binge watch your videos once a week And they never get old and they help to cheer me up THANK YOU!!!!!

[@AmandaViolinGirl]

Sad these instruments don't get played. I saw one in a museum.

[@brianhood2363]

Ooh, always glad to see your videos. Its like getting a verbal apprenticeship. And while it obviously doesn't mean that watching videos gives you the skills of the experts, it DOES give you the blueprints for HOW to develop those skills. No one can do everything so KZbin is a godsend for people who love learning

[@SusanRLin]

Thank you very much for this comprehensive and informative overview! What a fascinating history and trajectory for such an instrument. It was wonderful to see TwoSet's visit to Tarisio highlighted as well. My hope is that our celebration of legacy instruments will, as you mention, further encourage the creation of modern examples of true excellence.

[@israelperez-sg8er]

I absolutely love to hear this man speak on the topic of violins, he is so precise with his words!! He seems to be authoritative on his trade. In this video i finally got my question answered, namely i thought he was british but he says he is australian, thanks Olaf, love your videos on the subject of the violin, perhaps the world's most beautiful and noble of all musical instruments! Israel Perez, Guatemala, C.A.👍🙏🎻

[@johngeddes7894]

I was also watching this auction, not as closely as this, but I youtubed as much of Toscha Siedel to get a sense of the sound of that violin. When I heard enough, I was confused by the tone of the D and G strings, which sounded nasal; up to the point it occurred to me that maybe this is one of the few Stradivaris that has never been revoiced or had the scale length extended. Just a hunch, anyway. I was expecting it to be similar to Perlman’s Soil Stradivari, but life is full of little surprises.

[@ronaldmcronald8611]

Fantastic story! Thanks plenty for your time

[@mirandaandrews2872]

Hi Olaf I'm happy to see you still making videos😄 I watched that video. I need to keep up my musical life.

[@gailrivas762]

Thank you for sharing your wealth of information. You are a joy to watch.

[@jamie6293]

Hi Olaf you probably already know that Christies, in London on the 07/07/22 are auctioning another great Stradivari called the Hellier made in 1679. Great video's, I really enjoy watching your work.

[@liamnevilleviolist1809]

This violin was *quite* the amount of $$$. Remember when they wanted $45 million for a viola? That was a joke. And yes, I'm a violist, viola dealer and bow dealer and still think that *that* was a ludicrous amount.

[@AskOlaftheViolinmaker]

Agreed... It no longer values the instrument for what it is: The voice of the player

[@billkaroly]

Wow is all I can say. Just wow.

[@andron967]

Don't laugh to hard. But this question comes from experience installing aluminum siding facia. We have to use aluminum nails since they don't rust on the facia. If the wood sits in the sun for to long it becomes hard and the aluminum nail is hard to drive (follow ?). Maybe Strad hardened the plates and maybe C bouts with sunlight. Or at least tuned with the sun for acoustic reflection and frequency propagation through the plates.

[@RED-cy7ig]

It's so sad how greed keeps instruments out of an artists hands.

[@davidsawyer988]

Intriguing!

[@benahoareartiles1109]

I have 254 yeats old violin and i are player and luthier i can tell you the harmonics the ringing and the tone its diferent i think the maker take care of who are design and made the instruments , the musicians take care of all of the instruments and the time do it the rest. Like the vine.

[@IgarashiDai]

Nice summary Olaf 🙂 For some reason I had a figure of 17M in my head for the Da Vinci strad, but maybe I was confusing it with something else haha. Who knows though, they could go for that sum in the not so distant future…

[@barrysmith8920]

Olaf, I love your channel very much🌹 However, Antonio’s last name actually was Stradivari 😉

[@MandyH1972]

I've just bought a Musafia case that was originally made for and owned by Joshua Bell for the Gibson ex-Hubermam Strad, that's the closest I'll get. The case is an early 100th birthday present for my 1925 Gustave Villaume violin.

[@AskOlaftheViolinmaker]

Wonderful!

[@kamimaminamisami7078]

Sorry, but what is the piece at 6:45?

[@Slipsch]

Maybe the older violins sounds really good because it's been played and micro tuned by some of the best musician over time.

[@zapa1pnt]

Olaf, I have just seen a video by Ilja Grawert - Violinmaker, in Brisbane. Is this any relation?

[@terryjohinke8065]

I hope the investor loans it ( with consideration to all conditions for preservation) to a world class soloist or orchestral first violinist such as the Commonwealth Bank did in the 19800s . A good investment that must be played. A pity about the Lord Spencer that just sits in a glass case in a museum.

[@nickiemcnichols5397]

If I owned it, I’d make sure that at least one maestro had it to play whenever they wanted to.

[@DanielVodenitcharov]

Hello Olaf, I was wondering if it is possible you can do an in depth video on f-holes; correct shape, function etc. perhaps comparing cheap violin f holes to expensive Just a suggestion :)

[@randolphfriend8260]

❤️

[@fendermcmarshall]

Curious would the bridge be original as well?

[@ellisc.foleyjr9778]

The irony of these instruments selling for that kind of money is as was said they will never be played again. who know maybe it will set the precedence for one of those violins hanging on the wall behind you to sell for some outrageous price. because of the mystique of the process and wood and ability of the great master way back when it was built in 2020! you will become as famous a Stradivarius was well done master!. ECF

[@PidokJacob]

...just an observation...the best Stradivari instruments of this era were the ones that had a one piece spruce back...

[@kataetwas2825]

I found that interesting, too!

[@dwightbrown2808]

It would have been a maple back (Acer Pseudoplatanus) Spruce is for the top. One piece of two piece has really nothing to do with the sound either one works just fine. The Spruce is Pinus Abies. The Messiah Stradivari violin has a two piece back for instance. Poplar and Willow were used by Stradivari on some violas and 'cellos. It works fine just not that pretty.

[@vichernandezii]

What do you think of North Bennett street school?

[@mevans4715]

Was there a buyer/seller premium?

[@MittensMcMuffin]

I play the violin just as a hobby and i can only dream of a $2000 violin.

[@LILEE376]

It is sad that the collectors, billioners greed can overshadow of the talent of the current craftsmans and artists, musicians. It is like everybody forget that the old masters were young and a nobody also in their time. There are many much more talented people living currently among us but everyone value only those who has already died at several centuries ago. We have to accept the fact that nothing is perfect and everything can be better.

[@nickiemcnichols5397]

If I were wealthy enough to buy one of these, I’d give it to a great player who can’t afford one. I know I would, because I gave away a 1930s German violin to a younger player who was better than I.

[@davidconiglio7577]

Who ever see the The Red Violin 1998 movie ,good movie .

[@bencze465]

Ridiculous prices. I think it's like with everything else, speculation and rich people driving prices up (like for real estate where it's really hard or downright impossible to buy a home to live in for an increasing number of people; the people buying are often rich that buy to rent). I'm "lucky" that I don't need a great instrument, but I think here as well money ruins the main purpose (many many examples like sports, movies, computer gaming - when it becomes an industry worth billions it becomes speculants playing field).

[@michaelblaney4461]

Its nearly impossible to buy a decent student level viola. Its more expensive then professional electric guitars and Basses. I'm not going to spend custom shop ( electric bass ) prices for a. Decent student Viola.

[@bencze465]

@@michaelblaney4461 I'm not sure this translates well to lower tier instruments. People pay 1000$ for a phone that is a consumer level device we don't really need and may throw away after 3 years (or faster if we drop it). We pay, and I don't want to say a big number, 5-10k for a used car we keep for 5-10 years. In comparison an instrument in the 4 digit range is not expensive at all, it's supposed to last for hundreds of years with maintenance, and can be resold for some amount (that's always a bit speculative for how much but still). The comparison to guitars often comes up, but I think these instruments are a lot more complex physically and sonically. Especially compared to an instrument that generates sound electronically. I learn violin since 2 years and I use a rented instrument that is worth probably around 2-300 euro (bit more in $) and I think it actually sounds great and resonates well and I have been told that by experienced musicians. It is what I would consider a decent student instrument that is probably good enough for an average student into some of the more intermediary years as well. While violas are maybe 50% more, a decent student instrument is probably not very expensive up to a late intermediary level, this game probably gets expensive if you reach college level AND you have ambitions - I guess then you can step into 5 digit realm if you have the means and if you want. I always remind myself that there were and are great musicians everywhere in the world, and someone in a developing country is probably spending the same 1-2k for their pro instrument, not student level... there are orchestras with musicians miles better I'll ever be pretty much anywhere in the world. I think people only need the best instrument possible when they play solos with orchestra which is "fortunately" a fraction of us. :)

[@herr_barus]

That's about 70000x the price of my VSO...

[@michaelblaney4461]

Auction ? What happened to a room full of people holding up numbers and a auctioneer , very anticlimactic. I guess that is the modern world auction. I think the prices are ridicules , it's all marketing . Its the same thing in the electric instrument world a 1959 Les Paul guitar can be $150,000 I have seen instruments like that and its all hype and stories.

[@A.J.K87]

A 59' Les Paul that has been owned by someone famous will fetch quite a bit more even. I believe the estimate for the Greeny Les Paul that Kirk Hammet bought was close to 2 million. When it comes to electric guitars modern instruments are far better quality and will literally cost a fraction of the price. I find it so funny that the 59's are called bursts, even when the burst paint job has long faded away because of the poor quality paint they used for it.

[@robertm2000]

A minor correction. You mentioned two other violins that were named around the same time that the one violin was "baptized" "The Leonardo Da Vinci." You referred to it as the "Titan" violin but I'm willing to bet that it was actually called the "Titian" violin, which would have been pronounced "TISH-an," and not "TIE-tan."

[@dbracer]

@@emilwandel No, Titan and Titian are definitely pronounced differently, even in English.

[@khajiitkitten5679]

Practice 40 hours a day, like Ling Ling!

[@DanijelTurina973]

OK, I'm triggered. It's not Antonio Stradivarius. It's either Antonio Stradivari or Antonius Stradivarius. :)

[@mccypr]

😂😎

[@fnersch3367]

I see art investment ads all over the internet. What does this tell you?

[@2335467]

I think the Strad or Del Gesu are not any better than a much cheaper violin like a di Matteo. They have done tests, It just physiological. If I could afford to buy a fiddle I would buy the Strad or Del Gesu because they are art, if I wanted a good violin to play I would just get a good violin and NO one would be able to tell the difference even though they think they can. Let me know what you think about that Olaf, am I correct?

[@michaelwhisman]

I don't buy stories. I don't care who owned a violin. I buy quality.

[@roytofilovski9530]

Even if a violin player had that sort of cash, they would never spend it on an instrument they intended to play.

[@535Salomon]

Now let me buy a very expensive modern Violin so I wait until I am 90 years old and I become rich.

[@KonradTheWizzard]

Good plan, but I'm afraid you'll have to wait till you are 390 years old...

[@Weeping-Angel]

I can only imagine someone like bezos or Elon musk paying that much for instruments.

[@acharyajamesoermannspeaker6563]

This wasn't as exciting as I expected. Sort of rambling really.

[@G3FORC3]

i don't play but your vids are 'interesting' . This Strad vid is excellent.. but unfortunately the 'production' values are greatly diminished due to the 'jump-cut-stutter'. Watching videos produced with this as-if technique cheapens the actual content and reduces them to the level of that Mr Beast guy shouting about Honey. Please take a break and chill; move back from the camera so you aren't in my face. You have interesting stuff to say but watching it is like 50 miles of bad road on bad suspension.

[@ranonampangom2185]

You don't have to be here if you don't like it...

[@wayneg216]

I have to partially agree with you. Love the videos however I could only make it part way through viewing this one the constant jumping made me a bit nauseous.

[@liamnevilleviolist1809]

I love you Olaf, but I felt he need to click the thumbs-down button because you said "Yoshua Bell" and not "Joshua Bell". If there's anything I hate in the classical music community - it's non-Europeans trying to sound *more* European for hoity-toity artistic's sake.... I hope I never hear him referred to as "Yoshua" again [please] :)

[@mortimerlojka5912]

That's the german pronunciation, and most Europeans pronounce foreign names with an accent, nothing to do with "hoity-toity artistic's sake": it's just the way it is. That being said, I dare you to pronounce "Mozart", "Zimmer" or "Audi" the correct way. (Also: your comment was useless, narrow-minded and a bit pathetic).

[@KonradTheWizzard]

You know he is mostly European. Right? If I read his web page correctly he was born in Germany and migrated to Australia with his family as a child. His pronunciation of names was very normal for German+English bilingual speakers, not anything "hoity-toity artistic" (whatever that means). Now sir, please sit down. Breathe. Very slowly. In .... Out .... In .... Out .... Very good. Take a sip of tea (or coffee or whatever you prefer) and stay calm. This may be hard to swallow, so please keep breathing slowly and deliberately....: different people have different ways of pronouncing words that are from a language that is foreign to them. Very often they will get it wrong or only half right. Especially with names. It is rather likely that you will find yourself disagreeing with their pronunciation. It is important to stay calm, smile... and if, only if, you know exactly how something is pronounced because it is your own language, then you may very politely offer a correction. If it is not your own language .... please shut the f-hole up, smile politely and try to forget your anger - it is very simply not worth it. The health systems around the world are already stressed out, don't give yourself a heart attack over a stupid word - heart surgeons and nurses near you will thank you for less overtime at work. Thank you. Don't forget to breathe... In.... Out.... Calm.... ;-)

[@elissahunt]

Olaf is European. Unless you don't think Germany is part of Europe.

[@AskOlaftheViolinmaker]

As a German coming to Australia as a teenager I had to endure lots of variations in the pronunciation of my name... These days it no longer worries me... I'd rather focus on the substance of the conversation I have with another human being than their ability to pronounce my name. Having said that, I do always try my best... Especially in a country as multicultural as Australia where we get to try and pronounce Asian, African, Eastern European, South European and names from every obscure corner of the world. I love seeing people's faces light up when I make the effort to get it right. Thanks for letting me know 🙂

[@liamnevilleviolist1809]

​@@AskOlaftheViolinmaker Hey guys, me again. Very sorry for my behaviour last night. Apologies to all. I got quite drunk and spoke to of line. I know that that's no excuse, and I'd rather not be a coward and take down my original post just to "get out of the situation" to cover my behind. I do give Olaf my greatest respects and yes I do know he's not Australian born, and people will pronounce names differently. The thing that sparked last night's post: 'I recently spoke to a friend over coffee about a particular local violinist who has changed their name to sound European, as it garners a wider audience when playing in concerts. I won't name them, but if you take my name, instead of Liam Neville, it would be Lyon Nevaux. So this has actually become quite a hot and sensitive topic in our music community. Don't change who you are! Anyway. Sorry. I get carried away. I haven't drunk a drop today, but as you can all see. I do get carried away. I wish you all well, and again, sorry for my earlier behaviour!