The 10 Of The Most Expensive Musical Instruments In The World And The Rich History Behind It
By
Samantha in
History
On 17th June 2020
Music has been the oldest form of entertainment for humans for centuries. The history behind it is very old and different civilizations had their own musical instruments that basically represented their culture and tradition. Just like the music has evolved over the years, the musical instruments have also been a part of this change.
We have different instruments, some of the common ones included are piano, guitar, violin, etc. Even though people are now able to afford musical instruments but there are some instruments that are worth hundreds and thousands of dollars. Here we have collected the list of some of the most expensive musical instruments in the world. Go through the list and happy reading!
#1 Violoncello by Gennaro Gagliano
Gennaro Gagliano belonged to a family of Italy who had been creating musical instruments for a long time now. He had been involved in making stringed instruments such as violins and cellos. This particular example has survived for more than 250 years and, once it was verified by experts, sold at auction for $362,500.
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#2 Viola by Gasparo Bertolotti da Salò
This musical instrument is the infamous voila which is believed to be played by Gasparo Bertolotti da Salo throughout most of his career. Some even believe that this was his most famous voila.
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When it went to auction in 2004 it sold for a whopping $542,500.
#3 OM-45 Deluxe Guitar
Classical guitars may not be given as much attention as the electrical ones but they can prove to be real expensive items as compared to the electrical ones. This authentic OM-45 Deluxe Guitar was put together by the famous guitar maker C. F. Martin and Company in 1930 and was just one of fifteen made.
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This one managed to sell for more than double its valuation, reaching a price of $554,500 at auction.
#4 Eric Clapton’s “Blackie” Guitar
The Fender Stratocaster used by Eric Clapton throughout his career is believed to be the most famous electric guitar in history. Several similar models have been used in history, but Clapton's "Blackie" si far more valuable than any other guitar in comparison.
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The iconic singer used it for 15 years of his career and it was sold for $959,500.
#5 The Jimi Hendrix 1968 Fender Stratocaster
The Fender Stratocaster was the exact electric guitar that the legendary Jimi Hendrix used during his gig at Woodstock.
When this instrument came up for sale, Paul Allen paid $2 million for this guitar and it was donated to Seattle's Experience Music Project. This was the city where the star was born and raised.
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#6 Steinway Piano
The Steinway Piano was sold to George Michael for $2.08 million in 2009. The reason behind this huge price was that the piano was used by The Beatles’ John Lennon and was actually the instrument used to compose the song “Imagine”.
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#7 Reach Out To Asia Guitar
The musical instruments that we have mentioned so far had their importance attached to it because of their belonging to a famous musician of the time. But this guitar is significant in the history for all the celebrity signatures it holds on it. In order to raise money for the tsunami that ripped through Asia in 2004, dozens of rock legends signed this electric guitar. Some of the names include Keith Richards, Brian May, Jimmy Page, Bryan Adams, Paul McCartney and Liam Gallagher.
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The guitar eventually got sold for Reach Out To Asia charity at $2.7 million.
#8 The Hammer Violin by Antonio Stradivari
It is no secret that the violins made by Antonio Stradivari are some of the most valuable instruments in the world. The violins can fetch a huge sum of money at f=different auctions, such as the Hammer Violin, which sold for $3,544,000 in 2006.
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#9 Vieuxtemps Violin by Giuseppe Guarneri
Giuseppe Guarneri was a contemporary of Antonio Stradivari who made stringed instruments that were widely known for their music in the world. The Vieuxtemps Violin was the last violin that he made in history thus making it a valuable musical piece in history. The instrument sold for a staggering $16 million.
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#10 Duport Stradivari Cello
The Duport Stradivari Cello is so named as it was originally used by Jean-Louis Duport in the 1800s. This musical instrument has historical importance as it is believed that it was held by Napolean Bonaparte at one point in history.
The slightly damaged instrument was played regularly up until 2007, and then finally it was sold for $20 million.
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