Nov 22, 2007 2:47 pm US/Central
1892 Violin Stolen From Vehicle
MICHIGAN CITY, Ind. (Post-Tribune) ―
A missing violin is worth $100,000, but money alone can't judge the value for concert violinist Nicolas Orbovich trying to find what's become part of his soul.
An 1892 violin he's been playing since enrolled in music school in 1985 was stolen outside Wal-Mart from the back seat of his unlocked car.
He's offering an unspecified cash reward for its safe return.
"I'm devastated. It's like losing an immediate family member," said Orbovich, a performer with the South Bend Symphony.
Orbovich parked at Wal-Mart Plaza in Michigan City on Saturday to go inside the Dollar Tree.
Knowing his visit would be quick, he left the violin in its case on the back seat and the car doors unlocked.
Orbovich said he returned in less than five minutes and as he pulled away from the lot he realized the prized violin was gone.
"If I leave for any amount of time, I always take it with me. It's just something I never figured would happen," said Orbovich.
He called the police and, hoping for a miracle, frantically searched the parking lot. Orbovich also began contacting area pawn shops.
His prayers nearly came true.
According to Orbovich, the nearby Cash Indiana store on U.S. 35 reported a woman brought in a violin within the hour. But, suspecting the item was stolen, the shop didn't accept the vintage musical instrument.
Orbovich said inside the violin is a label containing the name of the maker, Jerome Squier, and that it was made in 1892 in Boston. Squier, called the "American Stradivarius" for his abilities, made more than 600 instruments in his lifetime.
The violin is colored with a bright orange varnish and was inside a black insulated case.
Underneath the insulation is name American Case Co.
The distraught Orbovich said he purchased the violin from a dealer who cut him a break in the price while he was living in Pittsburgh attending music school.
"I haven't had anything else but that," said Orbovich, a private instructor who's taught at Valparaiso University and Andrews University in Michigan. "It's awful."
(CBS 2 and the Post-Tribune are news partners covering stories in the communities of northwest Indiana. Send story tips to tips@cbs2chicago.com. (© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting, Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
Click to enlarge
Stumble It!
