8Vieuxtemps Guarneri Violin – Price: $18 million
Worth $18 million, the Vieuxtemps Guarneri Violin ranks #8 on our top list of the most valuable auction items in the world!
Built by the renowned Italian instrument maker Giuseppe Guarneri around 1741, the instrument gained its name after being owned by the Belgian 19th century violinist Henri Vieuxtemps.
Past owners have included Sir Isaac Wolfson, Ian Stouzker, Yehudi Menuhin, Itzhak Perlman and Pinchas Zukerman.
The Vieuxtemps Guarneri violin was put up for sale in Chicago, where it fetched $18 million, making it the second most expensive musical instrument in the world. For more information, we recommend checking out Top 10 Most Expensive Musical Instruments.
‘A Guarneri is like a rich chocolate, while a Strad is like strawberry or vanilla ice cream. The Guarneri is often deeper, darker in sound.’
