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violin · Golden Period

Gibson ex-Huberman

A 1713 violin recovered after two thefts and decades out of sight.

Year
1713
Maker
Antonio Stradivari
Current player
Joshua Bell
1713violinArchive image under review

01 · Story

The return of a missing voice

During Bronisław Huberman’s ownership, the violin was stolen twice. It disappeared from his Carnegie Hall dressing room in 1936 and resurfaced after Julian Altman’s confession near the end of his life in 1985. Following restoration and sale, it became widely known as Joshua Bell’s concert instrument from 2001.

Confirmed

The Gibson ex-Huberman was stolen from Carnegie Hall in 1936 and surfaced after Julian Altman’s 1985 confession.

Confirmed

Joshua Bell has used the Gibson ex-Huberman as a concert instrument since 2001.

02 · Specifications

Record at a glance

Made
1713, Cremona
Type
violin
Period
Golden Period
Location
Not publicly recorded

03 · Provenance

A life through hands

  1. Date unknown–1936

    Bronisław Huberman

    The violin was stolen during Huberman’s Carnegie Hall recital.

  2. 2001

    Joshua Bell

    Concert instrument from 2001.

04 · Listen

Recorded connections

Sources

Follow the evidence