Stolen Stradivarius violin is recovered after 35 years

[Omaha Steve]

Source: AP

By BEN NUCKOLS

WASHINGTON (AP) — A Stradivarius violin stolen from renowned violinist Roman Totenberg after a performance in 1980 has been recovered.

The late musician's daughter, Nina Totenberg, says she was informed by the FBI in June that the violin had been found. She says the chief suspect in the theft has died and no one will be charged, and the violin will be returned to the family.

Nina Totenberg is the legal affairs correspondent at NPR. She spoke to The Associated Press on Wednesday. Federal prosecutors in New York plan to announce details of the recovery at a news conference Thursday.

Roman Totenberg, a native of Poland, died three years ago at age 101. He bought the Stradivarius in 1943 and performed with it exclusively until it was stolen.

Read more: http://bigstory.ap.org/article/23648c5c25264e01a12e81a00426f505/stolen-stradivarius-violin-recovered-after-35-years

[Demeter]

1. That poor man--like losing a leg or arm!

[Recursion]

2. Totally. The money aside, losing an instrument you've used for decades is devastating

Too bad he didn't get it back before he passed.

[rjsquirrel]

3. Or not

Wonder if Nina will have to pay back the insurance company?

Multi million dollar instruments are not proletarian tools.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

6. Was it a multi million dollar instrument (in 1943 dollars) in 1943?

I'm asking because I don't know. Have these things always been worth a gazillion dollars?

[Paladin]

9. The insurance money has been reimbursed.

Nina Totenberg says that she and her family will have the instrument (known as the "Ames Stradivarius&quot restored and then sold to a musician they believe to be worthy of it.

[blackspade]

4. The thief that stole it is a bad person.

Musical instruments are the heart of some musicians.
Despicable.

[DFW]

7. Very true!

If someone were to "relieve" me of one of my favorite guitars, I'd feel like I had been subjected to an involuntary amputation.

[OnlinePoker]

5. I just Wiki'd Totenberg

He was one of the lucky Polish Jews who was able to emigrate with his family to the U.S. just prior to WWII under a distinguished artist visa program. The world would surely have lost his talent had that program not existed.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_Totenberg

[The Second Stone]

8. Nina Totenberg is a national treasure

I don't always agree with her, but she is one of the last generally responsible journalists that does the talking heads circuit, mostly on PBS.