A cello by Stradivarius donated to Smithsonian

A 1701 violincello, long sought after by collectors, has been donated to the Smithsonian Institution's musical instruments collection. Charlotte Bergen, a patroness of American music and performers, acquired the cello in the 1930s, and it had been in her possession until now.

It is one of only 63 Stradivarius cellos known to exist and is "beautifully p reserved," said the Smithsonian's secretary, S. Dillon Ripley.