Stradivarius Violin Sells for $16M

A Japanese music foundation has sold a renowned Stradivarius violin for $16 million at a London auction to raise money for tsunami disaster relief. Proceeds from selling the nearly 300-year-old violin known as the Lady Blunt will go to relief projects in northern Japan, the nonprofit Nippon Foundation said today. The group's music affiliate owned the violin, which was made in 1721 and hardly used. The new owner was not identified. (Click to read about a literally massive cleanup effort that has just begun.)