A 17th-century Stradivarius violin which thieves tried to sell for a mere 100 pounds has fetched a whopping 1.4 million pounds at an online auction.
The violin was stolen from South Korean-born Min-Jin Kym, an internationally acclaimed musician, at London's Euston Station in 2010 while she was in a cafe, prompting a lengthy search.
The violin, one of the estimated 600 remaining instruments made by Italian luthier Antonio Stradivarius, was eventually recovered in a safe condition.
The violin crafted in 1696 was sold yesterday by auction house Tarisio in an online sale for 1,385,000 pounds.
The thieves were so ignorant of the violin's value that they offered it to a stranger for just 100 pounds. Kym has since acquired another Stradivari violin, Tarisio said.
Kym fondly recalls the part of her career she spent with this instrument: "This violin was a faithful friend for many years and I was devastated by its loss. Its recovery is an absolute relief and I am eager to hear the violin onstage once more. I wish its next owner all the best of luck and success."
The violin is a fine example of Stradivari's work from the mid 1690s, the auction house said.
Although built during the decade when Stradivari experimented with the 'long pattern', this violin is of normal measurements with a back length of 35.5 cm.
Bidding started at one million pounds. A portion of the proceeds and sales commission will benefit the authorities who were instrumental in recovering the violin.
