A violin handcrafted in 1714 by Antonio Stradivari, the famous Italian luthier, has been sold for $11.25 million by Boston’s New England Conservatory (NEC) at a Sotheby’s auction. The music school will use the proceeds from the storied violin’s sale to create a new scholarship opportunity for students.

A violin made by the famed Antonio Stradivari in 1714 has the potential to become the most expensive musical instrument ever sold when it goes up for auction at Sotheby's in New York.

A Stradivarius violin made in 1714 was sold for $11.25 million by the Sotheby’s auction house Friday, establishing a scholarship fund at the New England Conservatory of Music.