A violin created by Guarneri del Gesù in 1741 – three years before his death – will be auctioned at the asking price of $18 million – making the most expensive musical instrument on Earth.
It’s named the Vieuxtemps Guarneri after its maker, and Henri Vieuxtemps, the 19th-century composer who used it for many years.
Dubbed the Mona Lisa of violins, it has been played in concert halls around the world by some of the greatest musicians.
The instrument is currently owned by a retired British financier and music philanthropist, Ian Stoutzker.