The Musical Instruments Museum in Brussels has a new item in its collection: a violin that was stolen from the museum in 1980.
The instrument, a pardessus de viole, was built in the 18th century and was stolen from the museum in 1980. “A pardessus de viole is a small type of violin, but with more strings, played not on the shoulder but on the knees,” Richard Sutcliffe of the Musical Instruments Museum told Radio 2.
“The instrument was built in 1742 and was in our possession for quite some time until it was stolen in 1980.”
The pardessus de viole was recently returned to the museum, 44 years after it was stolen. “Musician Annalisa Pappano had bought the instrument, not knowing it was the stolen instrument,” Sutcliffe says.
“She wanted to know its origin and to find out if other instruments by the same builder existed.” During her research, she discovered that it had been stolen from the museum.
“We are very grateful to Annalisa, because she decided to return the instrument to its rightful owner, the museum,” Sutcliffe says. “It was very difficult for her because she had fallen in love with it instantly.”
The stolen pardessus de viole is on display again at the museum and will be the “instrument of the month” in March. The investigation into the theft is ongoing.