Einstein's 1894 Violin Expected to Fetch £300,000 at UK Auction

Albert Einstein's first violin, an 1894 Anton Zunterer instrument etched with the name 'Lina,' is set to be auctioned in the UK with an estimated value of up to £300,000. This violin, believed to have been played by Einstein during his development of the theories of special and general relativity, was entrusted to his friend Max von Laue in 1932 as Einstein fled Nazi Germany for the United States. Along with the violin, a bicycle saddle and an 1843 philosophy book gifted by Einstein will also be sold. The items remained within the family of Margarete Hommrich, an acquaintance of von Laue, until they were put up for auction. Einstein, who was an avid musician and self-taught violinist, named all his violins 'Lina,' a play on the German word for violin. This auction follows the 2018 sale of another of Einstein's violins, which fetched significantly more than its estimate, highlighting the historical and cultural value of Einstein’s musical artifacts.