$30 Million Viola Sets World Record as Most Expensive Musical Instrument
WASHINGTON, D.C. — A historic Stradivarius viola recently stunned the music world with a jaw-dropping $30 million valuation, officially making it the most expensive musical instrument in existence.
The 335-year-old Tuscan-Medici viola, crafted in 1690 by the legendary luthier Antonio Stradivari, was formally gifted to the Library of Congress, cementing its legacy as a national cultural treasure. Renowned violist Roberto Díaz, president of Philadelphia’s Curtis Institute of Music, performed on the viola at a celebratory concert — a moment he described as surreal.
“The price tag is so surreal in the sense that it almost doesn’t really register,” said Díaz after the performance.
335 Years of Musical Legacy
While Stradivari produced over 1,000 string instruments, only around 10 violas are believed to survive. The Tuscan-Medici viola stands apart not only for its rich tone and age, but for its provenance, which includes ownership by Ferdinando I de’ Medici, a Macy’s heir, and eventually the Baird family, who loaned it to the Library of Congress for decades before its recent sale.
The instrument’s new valuation was made possible through two major donations:
- A $20 million cash gift from rare instrument collector David Fulton and his wife, Amy.
- An in-kind donation of $10 million from the Baird family, who sold the viola for less than its appraised value.
A Sound Like No Other
Despite its enormous worth, Díaz emphasized the viola’s incredible tone as its most defining feature. Described as having a “Cremonese spin”, the instrument produces a brilliant, resonant sound that projects beautifully in concert halls.
Even students at Curtis have had the rare opportunity to play it. During one lesson, Díaz handed the viola to a student to demonstrate its impact — and, he said, it opened “all these doors” in her musical understanding.
Stradivari’s Rare Viola Fetches Higher Value Than Violins
Although Stradivari violins like the “Lady Blunt” have sold for as much as $15.9 million, violas remain even rarer and arguably more treasured among collectors. The Macdonald Strad viola, once listed for $45 million, never sold — making this $30 million valuation a landmark achievement.
String expert Philip J. Kass, who conducted the valuation, stated:
“It’s really hard to establish relative pricing on these things… but I know of no other instrument that has sold for as much.”
Preserved For Future Generations
Carol Lynn Ward-Bamford, curator of musical instruments at the Library of Congress, called the viola a “piece of cultural heritage” that belongs not only to the U.S., but to the world.
Now renamed the Antonio Stradivari, Cremona, 1690, viola, Fulton, ex Baird, Tuscan-Medici, the instrument will remain available for public performances and scholarly research, fulfilling the original wish of the Baird family.
“Let musicians hear it and see it. Let researchers come and study it and understand it,” said Ward-Bamford. “That to me is pretty marvelous.”
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