Late Heiress’ 1731 ‘Kreutzer’ Stradivarius Has Gone Unsold at Christie's

The 1731 ‘Kreutzer’ Stradivarius violin, found hidden in the closet of the late eccentric heiress Huguette Clark’s Manhattan apartment, and pre-valued at up to USD $10 million, has gone unsold at Christie's this week.

After a sealed-bid auction that began on June 6th, Christie's have today indicated that the offers received did not reach the 'reserve price' - agreed-upon between the sellers and the auction house.

The reclusive heiress, who died aged 104 in 2011, was the daughter of copper magnate and politician William A Clark – once believed to be the richest man in America.

Proceeds from the eventual sale will go towards the final settlement of the Clark estate – with what’s left over to be bequeathed to the Santa Barbara Bellosguardo Art Foundation.

Christie's have indicated they are working with the estate to explore next steps.