Most Expensive Musical Instruments Sold at Auction (All Time)

About This Dataset

Musical instruments ranked by hammer price at public auction in millions of USD. The 1721 Lady Blunt Stradivarius violin sold for $15.9 million at Tarisio auction in 2011 — the highest price ever paid for a musical instrument, setting a record at the time by nearly double. Stradivarius instruments dominate the upper echelon of instrument auction records due to their extraordinary tonal qualities and scarcity, with fewer than 650 surviving examples.

✨ AI Insight

The data reveals a significant gap between the top-tier instruments and the rest, with the Duport Stradivarius Cello and Lady Blunt Stradivarius Violin commanding prices that are more than four times higher than the next highest sale, the Vieuxtemps Guarneri Violin at $16 million. This disparity underscores the premium placed on Stradivarius instruments, which are revered for their exceptional sound quality and limited availability, with fewer than 650 surviving examples. In contrast, modern instruments like Eric Clapton's Stratocaster, sold for just $0.96 million, highlight the difference in perceived value between contemporary and historical pieces. The trend suggests that as the market for rare instruments continues to grow, prices for iconic pieces may continue to soar, driven by both collector demand and the instruments' historical significance.

Source: Wikipedia

Key Findings

Auto-computed highlights from this dataset

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Duport Stradivarius Cello (1711) leads with 20 in 2020.

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Average value in 2020: 6 · median: 6.

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2008 recorded the highest combined total across all categories.

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Gap in 2020: Duport Stradivarius Cello (1711) is 20.8× larger than Eric Clapton Stratocaster Blackie (1956).

Most Expensive Musical Instruments Sold at Auction (All Time)

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Data Insights Below

Data Insights

Numbers, trends & sources behind this chart

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Data Points

8 categories · 8 years

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Top Value

Duport Stradivarius Cello (1711)

Auction Price (Million USD) · 2008

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Metrics

Auction Price (Million USD)

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Period

2000 – 2020

8 years of data

Rankings & Full Data

8 records · Auction Price (Million USD) · ranked by 2020

✓ 8 sourced

#	Category	2000	2004	2006	2008	2011	2012	2019	2020	Change
🥇	Duport Stradivarius Cello (1711)	—	—	—	20	—	—	—	—	—
🥈	Vieuxtemps Guarneri Violin (1741)	—	—	—	—	—	16	—	—	—
🥉	Lady Blunt Stradivarius Violin (1721)	—	—	—	—	15.90	—	—	—	—
4	Kurt Cobain MTV Unplugged Guitar (1959)	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	6	—
5	David Gilmour Black Strat (1969)	—	—	—	—	—	—	3.90	—	—
6	Hammer Stradivarius Violin (1707)	—	—	3.50	—	—	—	—	—	—
7	John Lennon Steinway Piano (1970)	2.40	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
8	Eric Clapton Stratocaster Blackie (1956)	—	0.96	—	—	—	—	—	—	—