The Messiah

And here's the violin itself -- Le Messie or The Messiah.

It has never been played, and is almost in the same condition as when it was found in 1737 in Antonio Stradivari's workshop. It was built in 1716, during Stradivari's Gold Period, during which his greatest violins were made.

As such, it is viewed as one of the greatest of the Stradivari violins existing today.


(It was named The Messiah, because of the fact that it has never been played -- its owner said that it was like the Jewish Messiah -- he is always said to be coming, but he never arrives.)