It was tipped to be a big hit at an auction of Russell Crowe’s possessions and so it proved.

Russell Crowe’s violin was the highlight of the auction of film memorabilia and personal possessions – a so-called “divorce auction” – in Sydney. The Italian violin, picked by Crowe and his close friend Richard Tognetti of the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, with whom I have worked closely in the past, sold for AUS$135,000 (£73,528). It was the highest price reached for film-related memorabilia in the 227 lots up for sale at the auction in Sydney. The items were being sold, Crowe says, to fund his divorce settlement.

The violin came out close to the top of Sothebys Australia’s valuation, but the dress uniform used by the character Captain Jack Aubrey in the same film far exceeded the experts’ eye. It sold for AUS$80,000.

[taq]In case anyone is interested … $3.7m at the coal face and around $350k of conversations ongoing … and a bunch of stuff I didn’t really want to sell coming home … not a bad hourly rate for a 5 hour shift . Hope you are happy and busy[/taq]

But it wasn’t the only music-related offering at the sale.

A happy-looking Crowe, making an appearance at the sale, got a round of Happy Birthday from the Sydney singer Alisa Nasteski. He said the violin was “a lot very close to my heart”

It is tipped to sell for the biggest price at auction in Sotheby’s Australia.

Russell Crowe is selling his personal collection of movie-related memorabilia as part of a ‘divorce auction‘ in Sydney, and among a pile of items from films like Gladiator and Romper Stomper is this Milan violin by Leandro Bisiach, made in the late 19th century.

While filming the movie Master and Commander, Russell Crowe was given a heavy-set German violin which, he felt, was not of good enough quality to be owned by his character, Jack Aubrey.

Crowe recounts: “It was my thought that the Captain, as gruff as he may be, would play a finer instrument. Peter Weir, (the director), agreed with me, but the film’s budget couldn’t take the extra cost. So I had my friend, Richard Tognetti, (from the Australian Chamber Orchestra), and my violin teacher, Robert Greene, try to track down something more suitable. They found me this beautiful Leandro Bisiach (made in Milan in 1890). Though it was a later piece than the time period of the film, the fact that it was in the style of Guarneri meant that it was a shape and style that Aubrey would have purchased. This is a serious concert level violin with a beautiful tone. It comes with a faux-Baroque bow, which was also used in the film.”

You can watch the bidding for this beautiful violin, and lots of other items, on Facebook.

He rose to national prominence in Venezuela for playing tunes on the frontline amongst the protestors. Wuilly Arteaga, a 23-year-old violinist and pianist, played on while masked demonstrators threw Molotov cocktails and rocks at police officers firing rubber bullets and tear gas.

Nationwide strikes and protests this week continue against President Nicolas Maduro, who insists on pressing ahead with reforms that protestors say will tighten his grip on power.

While being transported to hospital, Arteaga posted this video.

“Neither rubber bullets nor pellets will stop our fight for Venezuela’s independence,” Arteaga says. “Tomorrow I will be back in the streets.”

— WuillyMoisésArteaga (@WuillyArteaga) July 22, 2017