66. Stradivarius Violins

The Economics of Everyday Things

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).

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