Saturday, May 06, 2000
Taft violin sold for record price
By Janelle Gelfand
The Cincinnati Enquirer
When the Taft Stradivarius sold to the highest bidder at Christie's East on Friday, it went for much more than a song.
The rare violin with Cincinnati ties sold for $1.326 million (with commission). It was a record price for a musical instrument sold through auction in the United States, said Kerry Keane, international head of Christie's musical instruments department.
The Strad was bought by a private American collector and patron who will lend it to a professional soloist, he said. The new owner's name was not disclosed, at the buyer's request.
Depending upon condition, a good Stradivarius can command $1 million to $4 million, said Geoffrey Fushi of Bein & Fushi in Chicago, a musical instrument dealer.
“That violin easily could have gone for as high as $2 million,” Mr. Fushi said.
Antonio Stradivari made the violin in Cremona, Italy, in 1700, at the beginning of his “golden period.” Known as The Taft Ex Emil Heermann, the violin has spent much of the last century in Cincinnati. Anna Sinton Taft, wife of Charles Phelps Taft, bought it for Emil Heermann, concertmaster of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra (1910-46).
It was part of a group of instruments and bows being auctioned from the collection of Jacques Francais, a New York dealer.
“I would say it was a lucky buyer, whoever it was,” said Kurt Sassmannshaus, professor at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music.
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