Depending on condition , instruments made during Stradivari 's " golden period " from 1700 to about 1725 can be worth millions of dollars . In 2011 , his " Lady Blunt " violin from 1721 , which is in pristine condition , was sold in London for $ 15.9 million ( it is named after Lord Byron 's granddaughter Lady Anne Blunt , who owned it for 30 years ) . It was sold by the Nippon Music Foundation in aid of the Japanese earthquake and tsunami appeal . In Spring 2014 the " Macdonald " viola was put up for auction through the musical instrument auction house Ingles & Hayday in conjunction with Sotheby 's via silent auction with a minimum bid of $ 45 million . The auction failed to reach its minimum bid by 25 June 2014 , and the viola was not sold
Japanese earthquake and tsunami
2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami
Stradivarius