My violin! Musical instruments are sort of cheating, but I have a violin from 1895 (young by some standards) that has outlived many owners. Got it for a relative steal because nobody (including several dealers) could decipher the maker's signature, so it had to be sold as unattributed, but we know when it was made (1895) and where (New York). It's not my primary instrument, as tone preferences has changed and it's a bit soft, but it's an excellent violin and great for practicing, and for Irish music.
A well-kept violin can live indefinitely, but they need to be played. I actually tested one from the 17th century, but it needed pretty extensive repairs, which probably would've tripled the cost. A violin will not survive as a decoration piece, which is why even instruments kept by institutional collectors and museums are usually loaned out to professionals. Many of the most coveted concert instruments are 300+ years old and still being used everyday. Interestingly, the Guarneri, Stradivari, and Guadagnini violins that became the standard weren't really prized to the extent they are today until the Romantic era, because they were too loud for chamber performance. With larger orchestras and concert halls, it became necessary to have a solo instrument that could hold its own against an orchestra without amplification.
frisky_husky t1_jea7r3o wrote
Reply to Longest lasting item in your life by SamuelsSteel
My violin! Musical instruments are sort of cheating, but I have a violin from 1895 (young by some standards) that has outlived many owners. Got it for a relative steal because nobody (including several dealers) could decipher the maker's signature, so it had to be sold as unattributed, but we know when it was made (1895) and where (New York). It's not my primary instrument, as tone preferences has changed and it's a bit soft, but it's an excellent violin and great for practicing, and for Irish music.
A well-kept violin can live indefinitely, but they need to be played. I actually tested one from the 17th century, but it needed pretty extensive repairs, which probably would've tripled the cost. A violin will not survive as a decoration piece, which is why even instruments kept by institutional collectors and museums are usually loaned out to professionals. Many of the most coveted concert instruments are 300+ years old and still being used everyday. Interestingly, the Guarneri, Stradivari, and Guadagnini violins that became the standard weren't really prized to the extent they are today until the Romantic era, because they were too loud for chamber performance. With larger orchestras and concert halls, it became necessary to have a solo instrument that could hold its own against an orchestra without amplification.