Stradivari ("Cobbett", 1721) | SLB Rechtsanwälte advises on transaction

Tuesday, 18th September 2019, 12.30 a.m.

For decades it was considered lost, but now it has been sold: the Cobbett Stradivari (1721). This violin was made in 1721 in Cremona by the renowned Italian luthier Antonio Stradivari and is named after its former owner, the entrepreneur and amateur violinist Walther Wilson Cobbett (1847 - 1937). The instrument was last sold in 1978 by Sotheby's, New York. From then on its trail was lost. After almost 40 years the Stradivarius has been rediscovered by chance in a private collection and was sold shortly afterwards.

Louis Rönsberg of the Mackrell Member Firm SLB Rechtsanwälte, Munich, Germany, who specializes in Art and Culture Law, advised the owners of the Cobbett Stradivari on the legal aspects of the sale. The details of the transaction remain secret. Stradivari violins rank among the most valuable musical instruments and have been achieving tip prices for years, depending on their condition, sound quality and provenance. In 2011, the "Lady Blunt", a violin also made by Stradivari in 1721, was sold by the London auction house Tarisio for almost 10 million pounds (USD 15.9 million).

Louis Rönsberg will be pleased to answer any questions you may have regarding German Art and Cultur law or German auction law.