One of the world's most expensive musical instruments has gone under the hammer at a New York auction house.
An 18th-century Stradivari violin was sold for more than £1.38 million, the second highest amount paid for one.
The instrument, which is known as "Solomon, Ex-Lambert", was sold at Christie's in New York for a sale price of $2,728,000, including buyer's premium.
The violin was made in Cremona, Italy, by famed stringed instrument maker Antonio Stradivari in 1729.
Christie's said the instrument "emanates from his mature period and retains the bold outline, superb arching and quality materials which account for the power, sonority and tonal balance his work is recognised for".
The violin derives its name from the late Seymour Solomon, co-founder of Vanguard records and amateur violinist who bought it at auction in 1972, and its previous owner, Ms Murray Lambert, a British concert violinist during the 1920s and 1930s.
The world record price for a musical instrument sold at auction was set by a Stradivari - "The Hammer" - which went for $3,544,000 (£1.8 million) at a Christie's sale in May last year.
AP