and businesswoman Jill Totenberg. Nina told the story of the theft and belated recovery of her father's Stradivarius in an article for NPR. Recording career Totenberg recorded for many labels, including Deutsche Grammophon, Telefunken, Philips, Vanguard, Musical Heritage Society, Heliodor, Remington, Da Camera, Dover, Titanic and VQR. Ames Stradivarius One of Totenberg's favorite instruments was the Ames Stradivarius, which he purchased for about $15,000 in 1943 (). It was stolen from his office after a concert in May 1980. Totenberg suspected aspiring violinist Philip S. Johnson of the theft, but police at the time did not believe there was enough evidence to issue a search warrant. The instrument was recovered thirty-five years later in 2015, four years after Johnson's death, when his former wife discovered it among his effects and sought to have it appraised. The recovered instrument was returned to Totenberg's daughters on August 6, 2015, after which it was to be restored to playing condition. The family stated that they planned to sell the instrument after it had been restored. According to Nina Totenberg, "We will make sure it is in the hands of another virtuoso violinist. And once again, the beautiful, brilliant and throaty voice of that long-stilled violin will thrill audiences in concert halls around the world." It has since been sold to an unknown buyer, who subsequently lent it to young American violinist Nathan Meltzer. Notes External links The Roman Totenberg Legacy Library of Congress Aug 12, 2015 (Video) Roman Totenberg at 90 Roman Totenberg at 95 1911 births 2012 deaths American centenarians American classical violinists Male classical violinists American male violinists American people of Polish-Jewish descent Mendelssohn Prize winners Polish emigrants to the United States Musicians from Łódź Polish centenarians Polish classical violinists Jewish American classical musicians Jewish classical violinists Violin pedagogues Commanders of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Poland 20th-century classical violinists 20th-century American male musicians Music Academy of the West founders Men centenarians 21st-century American Jews Totenberg family 20th-century American violinists