A violin made by renowned Italian craftsman Antonio Stradivari during his 18th century "Golden Period" is heading for auction next month with an estimate of up to a record $18 million. The New England Conservatory (NEC) is offering the "Joachim-Ma Stradivarius", with proceeds going to student scholarships, fulfilling the wish of musician and NEC graduate Si-Hon Ma, who donated the violin to the music school.

Sotheby's will carry out the sale on Feb. 7 in New York as part of its Masters Week of auctions."'Strad' is... like a household name for the violin... like the Picasso of the violin world," Helena Newman, chairman of Sotheby's Europe, told Reuters in London, where the violin went on public display on Friday.