The Complex Economics of Stradivarius Violins

Why are these 300-year-old instruments still coveted by violinists today? And how do working musicians get their hands on multimillion-dollar antiques? Zachary Crockett is not fiddling around.

• SOURCES:
  • Frank Almond, professional violinist.
  • Ziv Arazi, co-owner of Rare Violins of New York.
  • Bruno Price, co-owner of Rare Violins of New York.

• RESOURCES:
  • "When It Comes to String Instruments, Stradivariuses Are Still Pitch Perfect," by Ted Scheinman (Smithsonian Magazine, 2022).
  • "Study Confirms Superior Sound of Stradivari Is Due to How Wood Was Treated," by Jennifer Ouellette (Ars Technica, 2021).
  • "The Case of the Stolen Stradivarius," (FBI News, 2015).
  • "A High-Strung Market," by E. H. B. (The Economist, 2013).
  • "Violins For Music — And Investment Returns," by Michael S. Fischer (Financial Advisor, 2013).
  • "Stradivarius Fetches Record $16 Million in Charity Sale," (Reuters, 2011).

• EXTRA:
  • A Violin's Life, album series by Frank Almond (2013).