Historic Sale: ‘Baron Knoop’ Stradivari Violin Fetches $23 Million

The 1715 ‘Baron Knoop’ violin, a masterpiece from Antonio Stradivari’s “golden age,” has been sold for $23 million (approximately ¥170 million), setting a new record for the highest price ever paid for a violin. The buyer remains anonymous. The instrument was previously owned by American collector David L. Fulton, who acquired it in February 1992 for $2.75 million.

The violin features a two-piece back made of maple with a striking, broad figure extending slightly downward from the center joint. The top is crafted from two pieces of spruce, while the ribs and scroll are made from similar wood. The scroll’s chamfers still retain Stradivari’s signature black edging.

The sale was facilitated by Joseph Bein of Bein and Co, with Peter Biddulph and Lilly Camden acting as Fulton’s agents. Fulton’s collection once included 27 exceptional instruments, most of which have now been sold. The remaining pieces have been incorporated into the David and Amy Fulton Foundation, including a 1793 Guadagnini viola and an 1898 Voller Brothers copy of the 1735 ‘d’Egville’ Guarneri ‘del Gesù’ violin.

When Fulton acquired the violin, it was covered in French polish and had suffered from an improper varnish retouch, resulting in a deep orange-red appearance. Restorer John Becker spent three months removing these later additions to reveal the original, rich varnish beneath.

With this sale, the ‘Baron Knoop’ violin surpasses the previous record-holder, the 1741 ‘Vieuxtemps’ Guarneri violin, which was sold in 2013 and is currently on lifetime loan to American violinist Anne Akiko Meyers.