One of the great violinist's instruments goes to auction for the first time this year at Sotheby's.

A violin made by Carlo Bergonzi, the rarest of all the Cremonese makers and one of only fifty instruments by the maker that still survives, is to be auctioned on November 1st by Sotheby's in London. The instrument dates from around 1720 and is expected to reach a possible sale price of ?500,000.

Carlo Bergonzi, who was born in 1683, was actively making violins from around 1720 until his death in 1747. His instruments are considered some of the best ever made apart from those made by Stradivari and Guarneri del Gesu. Bergonzi's work is characterised by a superb choice of wood, a rich varnish to rival Stradivari, and a fineness of execution surpassed only by the Amatis.

What makes this particular violin even more special is its extraordinary history. Owned by the great Nicolo Paganini the violin has changed hands on many occasions. Paganini met the French dealer and violin-maker Jean-Baptiste Vuillaume in 1836 and a friendship was established that was to continue throughout Paganini's career.

In 1870 Vuillaume noted that the instrument was owned instrument was owned by Charles Louis, son of Baron Louis and that if had come from Paganini's private collection through the virtuoso's son Achille.

In 1876 the violin was owned by a professor of violin at the Conservatoire de Musique in Paris. Augustin Lefort, was the owner of the violin until 1921 when he sold the instrument to Leon Fischesser for 50,000 francs. Seven years later Fischesser sold it to a Mme. Ducas. and New York dealer Emil Herrmann reports some years later that around 1930 it was in the collection of Thomas C. Petersen of San Francisco.

Petersen sold the violin to Roger Chittolini of New York in 1948, from whom it passed, via Herrmann, to John Corrigliano, concertmaster of the New York Philharmonic Orchestra from 1943 to 1966. Corrigliano parted with it in 1957, again via Herrmann. This time the purchaser was an amateur who played the violin for around 35 years, and the instrument has remained in the possession of his family to this day.

Tim Ingles who is the Head of Sotheby's Musical Instruments department in London, commented on the sale saying, "We are thrilled to be offering this extraordinary violin for sale. Carlo Bergonzi is the rarest of all the great violin makers and this is the first time since 1984 that one of his violins has appeared at auction. More importantly, it is the first time that one of Paganini's violins has been offered at auction."