1.
MV INT. Saleroom - Stradivarius violin displayed ZOOM BACK TO auctioneer asking for opening bid and bidding commencing
0.21

2.
CU People bidding (3 shots)
0.30

3.
GV Auctioneer calling out bids
0.42

4.
CU Bidder
0.45

5.
GV Auctioneer concludes bidding
0.54

6.
CU Buyer being interviewed
1.34


TRANSCRIPT: SEQ. 6: MR. HILL: "Well, I knew I wouldn't be able to obtain it below GBP50,000 and well, I realised that if there was competition it would probably go as high as it had done."



REPORTER: "Were you prepared to bio over the GBP84,00?"



MR. HILL: "I'm not prepared to answer. I might have done, yes."



REPORTER: "Who did you buy it for?



MR. HILL: "An old colleague and friend of my family and he wishes to remain anonymous."



REPORTER: "Is he American or British"



MR. Hill: "Utterly anonymous. I'm sorry."



REPORTER: "He plays the violin?"



MR. HILL: "He does indeed, and he's a collector. He's a man of.....who appreciates fine things and the instrument is going to a really good home where it'll be properly looked after. It'll be maintained in the condition it's in now."




Initials OS/1019 OS/1032


EDITORS: OUR PRODUCTION NO. 6195/71 "U.K.: One of the finest Stradivarius violins to be auctioned -- record price expected" shows renowned violinist Yehudi Menhuin playing the Stradivarius. The story was serviced on 1 June 71.

Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: A 250-year-old Stradivarius violin named "The Lady Blunt" was sold for a world record price of GBP84,000 sterling at an auction in London yesterday (June 3). The instrument -- said to the second finest violin in the world -- was put on the market by its California owner, retired aircraft engineer Mr. Sam Bloomfield. The new owner is an anonymous collector, a friend of London violin dealer Mr. Andrew Hill who put in the final bid which was nearly four times greater than the previous world record for a violin of GBP22,000. In this film, showing the bidding at Sotheby's sale, Mr. Hill talks about his buy.