Machold Rare Violins, domiciled in Bremen, was the global market leader in the historic string instruments trade.
The owner was Dietmar Harry Joachim Machold, born in 1949 and resident at Schloss Eichbüchl bei Katzelsdorf.
Of the surviving 600 violins, 60 cellos and 12 violas crafted by Antonio Stradivari in Cremona, Italy, around half have passed through Machold's.
[1] Dietmar Machold was given the title of honorary professor for a collection of historic violins he procured for the Oesterreichische Nationalbank.
[1] Machold told police that he had sold the Ex-Rosé Stradivarius in 2006 for €3 million to pay off his loan with BAWAG.
[4] Machold had branch establishments in Vienna, Zurich (Geigenbau Machold GmbH and Cadenza AG), Alpnach (Bomalu AG), Bremen, Berlin, New York City, Aspen, Chicago, Seoul and Tokyo, buying and selling, among others, Stradivari and del Gesù violins.
On 29 October 2010 Dietmar Machold initiated a restructuring proceeding with self-administration with regard to his company assets.