Violin Linked To Einstein Sells For Over 1 Million

Einstein’s String Theory: Physicist’s Cherished Violin Sells for Over £1m

A violin that Albert Einstein owned and played during his most revolutionary scientific years achieved a staggering £860,000 at a sale. The instrument, which accompanied the physicist as he developed his world-altering theories, ignited a fierce bidding war before a European collector secured the historic prize. With a buyer’s premium of 26.4% added, the total expense will exceed £1.068m, a figure that auctioneers believe may establish a new world record. The event, which took place at a South Cerney establishment in Gloucestershire, Dominic Winter Auctioneers, provides a rare glimpse into the private world of a mind that reshaped our understanding of the universe, revealing the deep connection Einstein felt between his scientific work and his passion for music. The violin was more than a hobby; it was a lifelong companion.

A Piece of Scientific Soul

The instrument at the centre of the intense sale was an 1894 violin crafted by Anton Zunterer, a luthier based in Munich. Experts believe the young Einstein acquired it when he was 15, just before he moved to Switzerland to continue his education. This was likely the first full-sized violin he ever bought for himself and the one he would have played throughout his early adulthood. Crucially, this period included his ‘annus mirabilis’ or ‘miracle year’ of 1905, when the 26-year-old published four groundbreaking papers that transformed physics. As he formulated his ideas on the photoelectric effect, Brownian motion, and special relativity, the melodies of Mozart and Bach would have filled his rooms, played on this very instrument. It offers a tangible link to the intellectual and creative environment that fostered his genius.

‘Lina’, The Constant Companion

Einstein developed a deep personal attachment to his violins, affectionately nicknaming each of them ‘Lina’, a shortened form of ‘violina’. Confirming the intimate connection, the name ‘Lina’ is delicately etched into the wood on the back panel of the Zunterer instrument. For auctioneer Chris Albury, seeing this personal mark was a hair-raising moment. This was not just any instrument; it was a cherished possession that witnessed the birth of modern physics. Einstein's second wife, Elsa, once remarked that she fell in love with him because he played Mozart so beautifully on the violin. The physicist himself declared that life without playing music was inconceivable to him, stating, “I live my daydreams in music. I see my life in terms of music.”

The Frenetic Ten-Minute Sale

The auction itself was a brief but electrifying affair. Bidding on the instrument, which had a pre-sale estimate of £200,000 to £300,000, began at a modest £150,000. The price, however, escalated rapidly in a tense ten-minute period. Four telephone bidders from the UK and Europe competed fiercely for the piece of history. The increments jumped from £10,000 to £20,000 once the bidding surpassed the half-a-million-pound mark. Chris Albury, a specialist in historical memorabilia and a senior auctioneer for Dominic Winter, called the sale an exceptional occasion and a "particularly precious and exciting item". In the end, a private collector from Europe placed the winning bid, securing the instrument for a hammer price of £860,000.

Record-Breaking Potential

The final amount, which climbs to £1,068,800 after commission, sets a new house record for the firm Dominic Winter Auctioneers. More significantly, it may represent the greatest sum ever paid for an instrument not made by the legendary Antonio Stradivari or formerly belonging to a professional concert violinist. It is thought that the prior record for a similar piece was held by the violin played by Wallace Hartley, the bandmaster aboard the Titanic, as the ship sank. That instrument, recovered from the icy Atlantic, sold in 2013 for £900,000. The extraordinary sum paid for Einstein's ‘Lina’ reflects the immense cultural value placed on items linked with a preeminent mind from history.

A Humble Instrument's Condition

Before the sale, the violin was in a "good, although shabby" condition, showing clear signs of use consistent with being played regularly. When it first arrived at the sale venue, its sound post and bridge were detached, and it was evident the musical piece had not been played for a very long time. Following a professional assessment and minor restoration, its playability was confirmed. A short performance was even recorded and featured on the auctioneer's website, allowing potential buyers to hear the sound of a device that once conveyed the ideas of a genius. The lack of marks for a shoulder rest is also consistent with photographs of Einstein playing, offering further evidence of its authenticity.

Music as a Tool for Thought

For Einstein, music was not merely a diversion; it was integral to his process of scientific thinking. His son, Hans Albert, recalled that whenever his father faced a difficult challenge in his work, he would turn to music. He would play his violin or improvise on the piano, and often, after a period of musical immersion, the solution to a complex problem would emerge. Elsa Einstein observed a similar pattern, noting how her husband would move between his study and the piano, striking a few chords before jotting something down. He believed music and science were connected, both seeking to express the inherent order and beauty of the universe. He saw his passion as a way of connecting to the "inner beauty of the universe".

An Early Passion

Einstein's musical journey began early. His mother, Pauline, was an accomplished pianist who introduced him to the instrument when he was five or six years old. Initially, the young Albert was resistant to the rote learning and drills, with one story claiming he threw a chair at a teacher in frustration. However, his attitude transformed at age 13 when he discovered the violin sonatas of Mozart. He fell in love with the composer's clarity and elegance, which he felt mirrored the logical purity of the cosmos. From that point on, the violin became a source of immense joy and a constant presence in his life, which he continued to play almost every day.

The Gathering Storm

The violin's journey is interwoven with one of the darkest chapters of the 20th century. Near the end of 1932, as the political climate in Germany grew increasingly dangerous due to the ascent of Nazism and antisemitism, Einstein prepared to leave his homeland. During a final meeting at his summer home in Caputh, Brandenburg, he entrusted several personal belongings to his close friend and fellow Nobel Prize-winning physicist, whose name was Max von Laue. Among them were this specific violin, a bicycle saddle, and a philosophy text. This act was a poignant farewell, a quiet acknowledgment that he might never return to the country of his birth. Weeks later, Einstein departed for America.

A Friendship Forged in Physics

The physicist Max von Laue was more than just a trusted friend but also a significant figure in German physics. He met Einstein in 1906 and their friendship became instrumental in the wider acceptance of the theory of relativity. Von Laue was one of the few prominent German scientists who openly defended Einstein and his work against the Nazi-backed "Deutsche Physik" movement, which dismissed relativity as "Jewish physics". By safeguarding these personal items, von Laue was not just protecting his friend's property; he was preserving a piece of a scientific and cultural world that was being systematically destroyed. He served as acting director of the Kaiser Wilhelm Institute for Physics after Einstein, the director, left Germany.

A Journey Through Generations

For two decades, the violin and other items were kept safe by Max von Laue. In the 1950s, he presented the items to Margarete Hommrich, an acquaintance of his and an admirer of Einstein from Braunschweig. The violin became a treasured artefact within her family, proudly displayed in her house and passed down through subsequent generations. The item remained a private heirloom, largely hidden from public view, for nearly 70 years. The decision to bring it to auction was made by Ms Hommrich’s great-great-granddaughter, allowing this remarkable piece of history to re-emerge into the light and captivate a global audience.

Other Artefacts at Auction

Alongside the celebrated violin, two other items from the collection given to the physicist Max von Laue were offered for sale. A text on philosophy containing works by Descartes and Spinoza, which Einstein's father had given him to encourage his learning of Latin, fetched a price of £2,200. This volume was particularly significant as it helped shape Einstein's pantheistic beliefs, famously leading him to state, "I believe in Spinoza's God". However, another piece of memorabilia, a Nelson bicycle saddle ordered and signed by Einstein in 1929, failed to meet its reserve price. The auction house indicated that this distinctive piece could be offered again at a later date.

A History of Einstein Sales

Memorabilia connected to Albert Einstein consistently commands high prices from collectors eager to own a piece of his legacy. This sale in Gloucestershire far surpassed the auction of another of his violins in 2018. That instrument, made for him in 1933 following his move to America, achieved a sale price in the city of New York of $516,500 (approximately £370,000 at the time). The higher value of the Zunterer violin stems from its deeper historical significance; it was the instrument of his youth and his most scientifically fertile period. Other Einstein-related items, from handwritten notes on happiness to his leather jacket, have fetched hundreds of thousands of pounds, demonstrating the enduring fascination with the man behind the science.