the Titanic's orchestra leader, Wallace Hartley, played during the boarding of the lifeboats and as the ship was sinking. His body was recovered with his violin and music box still strapped to his chest The violin is featured in Titanic: An Immersive Voyage at 18 West Fourth Street in downtown Cincinnati that started on Tuesday, March 11, 2025 at for a limited time. The exhibit features numerous artifacts, dramatic room recreations, never-before-seen 3D views, video animations, and cutting-edge technology.
Los Angeles, California – A rare $650,000 violin made in 1694 by Milanese luthier Giovanni Grancino has been recovered by Los Angeles police, nearly two weeks after it was stolen from a University of Southern California student. The prized instrument, believed lost forever, was found unharmed after making its way through several homeless encampments in the city.
The violin had been on loan from private owners to a Koreatown music shop before being borrowed by a USC graduate student for a performance. On April 2, the student left the antique instrument unattended in a campus practice area, where it was allegedly stolen by a man who followed her into the music department building.
Police arrested 31-year-old Jonathan Saldana on April 9. He has been charged with felony grand theft and is currently being held at the Pitchess Detention Center in Castaic. Saldana pleaded not guilty and is due back in court on April 25.
Detective Stephanie Gutierrez, who led the investigation, said Saldana, believed to be homeless, gained access to the building after the student swiped her ID to enter. Surveillance footage reportedly showed Saldana walking away with the violin after the student briefly left it unattended while studying. He is also accused of stealing a scooter during his exit from campus.
“I’m a history person, and when I heard this was from 1694, I just said, ‘They can’t replace this and it needs to be found,’” Gutierrez said.
The violin, which passed through multiple hands within homeless encampments, was ultimately recovered near West 31st Street and Main Street, not far from USC. Gutierrez said others refused to barter with Saldana for the instrument, and another homeless individual eventually took it and later agreed to return it to authorities on April 11.
LAPD Lieutenant Carlos Chavez called the recovery a relief. “Obviously something of this value, this rare—I mean, it’s a museum piece, it’s an antique,” he said.
Though the violin appears to be in good condition, it will be inspected by a specialist to confirm its state. The owners, who were told early on that the instrument was likely lost for good, were overjoyed to have it back.
“We were happy that we were able to get it back,” Chavez said.
