NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Tarisio announced that they will sell the Lady Blunt Stradivarius violin of 1721 at their June 20, 2011 online auction. The Lady Blunt is one of the two best-preserved Stradivarius violins in existence. It will be sold on behalf of the Nippon Music Foundation of Japan, and all proceeds from the sale will benefit the Nippon Foundation’s Northeastern Japan Earthquake and Tsunami Relief Fund.

The Lady Blunt has set a record price every time it has been sold in the 20^th Century. Most recently it was sold privately for over $10,000,000 and a similar result is expected at the June auction.

“Rarely does a Stradivarius of this quality in such pristine condition and with such significant historical provenance come up for sale,” said Christopher Reuning of Reuning & Son Violins in Boston. “It still shows the tool-marks and brushstrokes of Stradivari. The Lady Blunt is perhaps the best-preserved Stradivarius to be offered for sale in the past century.”

The Lady Blunt has been owned by several of the most important collectors and experts in history including W. E. Hill & Son, Jean Baptiste Vuillaume, the Baron Johann Knoop and Sam Bloomfield. The violin is named after its first known owner, the Lady Anne Blunt, daughter of the Earl of Lovelace and granddaughter of the poet Lord Byron.

The Lady Blunt is currently owned by The Nippon Music Foundation, custodians of some of the world’s finest Stradivari and Guarneri instruments. Says Ms. Kazuko Shiomi, President of the Nippon Music Foundation, “Each of the instruments in our collection is very dear to us. However, the extent of the devastation facing Japan is very serious and we feel that everyone and every organization should make some sacrifice for those affected by this tragedy.”

Says Jason Price, Director of Tarisio, “The Lady Blunt is the crown jewel of the Nippon Music Foundation’s collection. In the world of stringed instruments, this violin is indeed one of the great masterpieces, the equivalent of da Vinci’s Mona Lisa or Michelangelo’s David. We are honored to present this historically significant violin for such an important and urgent cause.”

ABOUT TARISIO

Tarisio is one of the world’s leading sources of fine and rare stringed instruments. Launched in 1999, it brought a fresh approach to the instrument market, combining the services of a traditional auction house with the efficiency and accessibility of online sales. Offering first-class expertise and guaranteed cataloging, Tarisio quickly earned the respect of musicians, collectors, restorers and members of the trade the world over. It now sells over 2,000 violins, violas, cellos, and bows each year, with offices in New York and London.

www.tarisio.com

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