Police in Paris say they have recovered two violins, together worth more than $250,000, stolen from a musician with the Los Angeles Philharmonic in December.
A thief stole the violins on Dec. 23 from the West Hollywood home of violinist Mark Kashper.
Violin dealers around the world were alerted to the thefts of the instruments, one crafted in the 18th century by Carolo Tononi and the other by Jean-Baptiste Vuillaume in the 19th century.
French police were notified by a Paris dealer when an American man tried to sell them for $65,000 US earlier this week. The instruments were recovered on Thursday.
The seller is an American who lives in Amsterdam and could be extradited, according to police. His identity has not been disclosed.
Police said he denied breaking into Kashper's house and claimed to have bought the instruments from someone he did not know.
Kashper and his wife were away at the time of the robbery. The thief took some jewelry, a wallet and the violins from their bedroom. At the time, police said they doubted the thief knew the value of the instruments.
The Tononi — made of maple and spruce — is worth much more than the French violin.
Kashper was bestowed the Tononi in 1986 when he was promoted to associate principal second violin. It's one of 19 instruments, including four Stradivarius violins, on loan to the philharmonic's musicians.
With files from the Associated Press
