Roman Goronok

Spear’s Review

Only about 900 Stradivarius violins were ever made. A third have been destroyed by the ravages of time and turmoil. Another third are in private collections and ‘will never be sold’. That leaves around 300 that might one day be available – if you’re willing to part with millions in exchange for a wooden box and a few strands of catgut. 

A former professional violinist, Roman Goronok suffered a serious accident in his early twenties that forced him to reorder his priorities. He set up his boutique firm specialising in fine and rare stringed instruments in 2002, and describes himself a ‘relentless detective and matchmaker’ who finds ‘great masters’ violins and puts them in the hands of renowned musicians’.