'The Penny' Stradivarius sells for $1.63m

A 300-year-old Antonio Stradivari violin named "The Penny" has sold for $US1.27 ($NZ1.63) million at auction in New York, Christie's said.

The instrument, described as sweet and bell-like in its sound, was named after its previous owner, pianist and violinist Barbara Penny. She owned the Stradivarius until her death last year.

The buyer of the violin was anonymous. The sale was below the $US3.54 million paid for a Stradivarius known as "The Hammer" in 2006, the most paid for one of the instruments at auction.

Stradivari made around 1100 instruments, most of them violins, and around 650 of his instruments survive today.  

- Reuters