The signature 1778 Giovanni Battista Guadagnini violin of celebrated teacher Dorothy DeLay, is going on sale on October 17. DeLay, who died in 2002, was known primarily for her role as a teacher at the Juilliard School in New York, where she instructed Itzhak Perlman, Midori, Nigel Kennedy, Sarah Chang and Gil Shaham. She received the National Medal of the Arts from President Clinton in 1994.

Tarisio Fine Instruments & Bows will sell DeLay's instrument through an online auction, and it will be shown in New York, Los Angeles, London and Cremona, Italy in advance of the sale. Comparable Guadagnini violins have sold for between $1m and $1.5m in recent years.

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All photos © Robert Bailey / Tarisio