Albert Einstein’s violin has gone under the hammer for a whopping $1.1 million. For those familiar with the scientist’s life, it’s well known that he was as devoted to the violin as he was to science. His musical journey began at his mother, Pauline Koch’s insistence when he was just five years old. What initially seemed like a duty turned into an insatiable passion after he encountered Mozart’s violin sonatas as a teenager. From that moment, the German-born theoretical physicist, best known for developing the theory of relativity, was rarely without his violin. He even traveled with his violin cases, owning several over his lifetime, each affectionately given its own name.
Einstein once admitted that if he were not a scientist, he would probably have been a musician. This makes the 1894 Zunterer violin, believed to be his first, even more special, as it was the companion that began his lifelong relationship with music. Bidders at Dominic Winter Auctioneers in South Cerney, Gloucestershire, understood its significance and wasted no time pushing the price far beyond its $400,000 estimate. The sale was over in about ten minutes.
“We had three phone bidders heavily involved up until the very end,” said auctioneer Chris Albury to the BBC. The final bid could make this violin the most expensive ever sold that wasn’t owned by a concert violinist or crafted by Stradivarius. Still, beyond the price, this violin remains an emotional piece of Einstein’s legacy, a tangible connection to the man whose music soothed his mind and inspired his thoughts.
Einstein once said, “Life without playing music is inconceivable for me.” The same could be said of his life, almost unimaginable without the calm presence of his violin.
