Rarer than a Stradivarius, the 1731 violin set to sell for US$10 million plus and the late Chinese-American philanthropist and music lover who collected it
- Lam Sau-wing picked up the viola in 1930s Shanghai and kept up his love for music. Sent by Hong Kong firm DCH to the US, he put his wealth into rare instruments
- In March a Guarneri violin of his is likely to sell for over US$10 million. Lam wasn’t just a collector; his money helped musicians such as cellist Jian Wang
In March, an extremely rare violin made some 300 years ago is expected to sell for at least US$10 million at auction.
“Nothing like this has come to auction in 30 years,” says Carlos Tomé, director and head of sales at auction house Tarisio, which specialises in rare stringed instruments.
Known as the “Baltic”, the instrument was made in Italy around 1731 by Giuseppe “del Gesù” Guarneri.
It is being sold by the family of the late Lam Sau-wing, a Chinese-American businessman and philanthropist born in Shanghai who lived in Hong Kong before moving to the United States, and its appearance on the market is likely to cause a stir among aficionados of antique instruments.
The “Baltic” is one of the finest and best preserved of the violins made by Guarneri, who was a contemporary and rival of the more famous Antonio Stradivari, better known as Stradivarius.