Priceless violins imbue Mozart trials with prestige

London-based dealer, restorer, and maker Florian Leonhard Fine Violins will display what is said to be three century-old violins worth more than 100 million yuan ($15.3 million) at Huafa Mall from Sept 12 to 24. Leonhard specializes in rare Italian violins, among them Stradivarius, Guarneri, and Amati.

The display in Nanping coincides with and accentuates the 2nd Zhuhai International Mozart Competition for Young Musicians.

The event is a top-class instrumentalist opportunity for world talents under 23 years old. It will be held at Huafa & CPAA Grand Theatre in Shizimen Central Business District of Wanzai.

The Huafa-Florian Leonhard display includes two handmade masterpieces by the Italian Antonio Stradivari family. One named Kreutzer, crafted in 1727, was sold in London for £947,500 in 1998. The other, named Castelbarco-Belle, was crafted in 1707. One named Castelbarco without the -Belle was donated to the US Library of Congress by Gertrude Clarke Whittall of Shrewsbury, Massachusetts in 1935. She said of that instrument, "...As for the Castelbarco cello, any artist who has once drawn his bow across its strings will be haunted forever by its unforgettable tone."

Stradivari violin Castelbarco-Belle [Photo courtesy Zhuhai Daily]

The Music Division of the Library of Congress also has two violins made by Giuseppe Guarneri in the 18th century. A violin crafted in 1735 by Guarneri is listed among those to be shown in Zhuhai.

Also on display at the Famous Violin Exhibition will be an instrument by Giovanni Battista Guadagnini, regarded as one of the finest craftsmen of string instruments in history. A 1753 Guadagnini violin led the way at Tarisio's (New York and London auctioneers) in October 2016, selling for $1.2 million. Another Guadagnini, housed at the US Smithsonian Institute, was made in Milan, Italy in 1752.

The most expensive violin among the Huafa display is said to have an estimated value of $8 million to $10 million. The musical instruments each weigh from 400g to 450 g, in total around 5 kg, but they reportedly are so invaluable that they've been dubbed the "the world's most expensive wood."

Huafa Group, the organizer of the music competition, promised to provide world-level musical instrument safeguard services. They invite more music lovers to have the opportunity to feel the centuries-old history of the violin simply by personally seeing the classic antiquities. Such a feast for the eyes is rarely seen even in Europe, said an industry insider.