But despite the high price, it was a disappointment for the auction house, which believed that the violin, made by Italian violin maker Antonio Stradivari, would go for between 130-200 million kronor.
The reason for the disappointment is believed to be that another Stradivarius was sold for almost 16 million dollars ten years ago.
The current violin, called "Joachim-Ma", is considered one of Stradivari's finest creations and was built during his so-called "golden period", according to Sotheby's.
It is said to have inspired the legendary composer Johannes Brahms when he wrote his violin concerto in D major and was also used during the premiere in 1879.
The name of the instrument comes from two of its previous famous owners and violinists, Joseph Joachim from Hungary and Si-Hon Ma from China.
