Violin Hits the High Notes
The Strad January
1994
A world record auction price for a violin by a living maker was set on 2
November at Sotheby's in London. The violin, by Michigan violin makers Joseph
Curtin and Gregg T. Alf, reached a hammer price of £19,000 (£25,670
including buyers premium and taxes), bids having started at £10,000.
The violin, an exact copy of the ‘Booth’ Stradivari made in 1716,
belonged to violinist Elmar Oliveira, who toured with it for two years and
used it to record his CD of Joachim's 'Hungarian' Concerto with the London
Philharmonic Orchestra. Oliveira released the ‘Booth’ replica
to Sotheby's after taking delivery of another Curtin & Alf violin, a
copy of the ‘Lady Stretton’ Guarneri ‘del Gesu’ of
1726. The ‘Booth’ replica was purchased by the 22-year-old Maltese
soloist Carmine Lauri, who is soon to release his first CD
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