The c.1725 'Folinari' violin, one of the earliest known instruments made by Guarneri 'del Gesù', has sold for £1.52m at auction. The violin was the star lot in yesterday's Tarisio sale in London, and according to Tarisio director Jason Price, was only the second 'del Gesù' to have appeared at auction in the last ten years.

The violin's sale price, which includes the buyer's premium, took Tarisio's total takings for the auction to over £2m. The next highest-earning lot was a 1940 Evasio Emilio Guerra violin, which made £39,000 on an estimate of £25,000–£40,000.

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