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BOSTON (WBZ) -- An extremely valuable violin is being auctioned off to raise money for scholarships at the New England Conservatory in Boston.
The Joachim-Ma Stradivarius was crafted in 1714 by the famed violin maker Antonio Stradivari. It's regarded as one of the best violins the world has ever heard and it's owned by the conservatory.
The violin is currently valued at $12 million to $18 million. If sold at the top end of that range at an auction in New York, it would break the record for the most expensive instrument ever, beating a $15.9 million Stradivarius sold in 2011.
"It was made during the Golden Period by Antonio Stradivari," said Mari-Claudia Jiménez, Sotheby's Americas president and head of global business. "So, this is the peak of his output. This is the best violin of this era."
"Brahms wrote the Violin Concerto specifically for this violin, and it was debuted on this violin in the mid-1800s," she told WBZ-TV.
This violin was also owned by 19th century violinist Joseph Joachim before it got in the hands of Si-Hon Ma who acquired it in 1969. After his death in 2009, Ma's estate gifted the violin to the New England Conservatory in Boston. It's where he earned a master's degree in 1950.
The conservatory is now putting the famed violin up for auction with proceeds going to student scholarships.
"I can't believe they are doing that to get more scholarships for us," said NEC jazz vocalist student Aviana Gedler. "[Scholarships are] extremely important. It was probably the biggest factor going into my decision to come here. I was really fortunate to receive a good scholarship from the school and I don't think I would have been able to if I didn't."
"It's really important," said NEC jazz piano student Jake Walters. "It is a very expensive school and it helps out a lot of people. Obviously, it's a great violin but if no one is playing it I don't think it's worth having around."
The violin goes up for auction Friday, February 7 at Sotheby's in New York City.
