GPS helps find 18th-century violin left in NY taxi

[August 18, 2009]  NEW YORK (AP) -- A musician is reunited with his 18th-century violin after he mistakenly left in a New York City cab.

City taxi officials say a GPS device in the cab led to the quick return of the instrument to Korean violinist Hanh-Bin on Monday. The violin is valued at around $600,000.

The musician had taken a cab from Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts to his Chinatown apartment early Monday morning. He inadvertently left behind the violin and a credit card.

Hanh-Bin's violin wasn't the most expensive instrument ever to have been left in a New York City taxi.

In 2001, musician Lynn Harrell left behind a 328-year-old Stradivarius cello worth $4 million. In 1999, cellist Yo-Yo Ma forgot his $2.5 million, 266-year-old cello.

Both instruments were eventually returned to their owners.

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On the Net:

http://hahn-bin.com/

[Associated Press]

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