Sotheby's has been commissioned by the New England Conservatory to auction the Joachim-Ma Stradivari violin, with an estimated value of $12-15 million. The instrument was crafted in 1714 by Antonio Stradivari during his renowned "golden period." Before being donated to the Boston Conservatory, it belonged to the late violinist Si-Hon Ma, a former student of the same institution. Ma donated the rare violin with the hope that its future sale would contribute to providing scholarships for students. Joachim-Ma Stradivarius will be auctioned in New York during the auction house's Masters Week in February. Prior to the sale, it will be displayed in Sotheby's London and Hong Kong offices. The current record for the most expensive violin sold at auction was set in 2011 when the "Lady Blunt" Stradivari, previously owned by the granddaughter of Lord Byron, sold for $15.9 million at the Tarisio auction house.