To the small town of wellfleet. Im here to learn about a strange inheritance that shaped a familys life for half a century. My name is elena delbanco. In 2011, my sister and i inherited an extraordinary object from our father. This was my fathers home for many years. He and my mother built it in 1955. Elenas father was the virtuoso cellist Bernard Greenhouse, who died in 2011 at the age of 95. [ Classical Music plays ] greenhouse spent most of his career playing with the renowned beaux arts trio, which made its debut in 1955 and catapulted to fame. He was very warm and very charming but very involved with his work. And he traveled all the time as he became more and more successful. As one of the worlds premier cellists, bernard figured he should be playing one of the worlds finest cellos. He began searching in europe for an instrument equal to his talent. He went to dealers and to instrument shops, and wherever he went, he said, have you heard any rumors about great cellos . In 1957, he found one in the west german city of aachen. Your father came home with something he longed for, searched for. I was very young. But i knew that he had found something very important. Very important, indeed. It was a stradivarius, crafted in italy around 1707 by the master of them all, antonio stradivari. It even has its own aristocratic title, the countess of stanlein. Sound expensive . It was. It was a huge sum of money for us, for our family. And it made a huge difference in our lives to pay it off over many years. Dealers estimate bernard paid around 100,000, an astronomical sum in the late 1950s, when the average American House sold for 18,000. But for greenhouse, the instrument became a part of him. He called it every superlative you could call it his love, his treasure, his heart, his voice. At the height of his career, greenhouse performed nearly 200 times a year. I always wanted to hop in the cello case and travel with my father wherever he was going. When greenhouse wasnt in concert, he taught at the Manhattan School of music, juilliard, and here at home, in his cape cod studio. This is where elena also played the cello as a child. You sometimes put your name in his appointment book to try to get time with him in lieu of a lesson, erasing the name of a student that was actually coming. I didnt do that to get a cello lesson. I did that to get an hour of his time. Did you ever play the strad . No, never. Why . I never played well enough to play the strad. By whose opinion . I guess by my fathers, but i never wanted to. Can i hear him play . I would love it. [ midtempo Classical Music plays ] having the music is wonderful. Its hard but wonderful. [ music continues ] isnt it beautiful . Wow haunting. Whats the first thing you do when you have to decide whether to keep or sell the family jewel . I think the first question you ask yourself is, do you have any use for or love for the family jewel . And then, i think a big part of it also is, can you afford to keep the family jewel . The financial implications of this strange inheritance worry elena and her husband, nicholas, who are both College Professors nearing retirement. What would it have entailed to keep the strad . Insurance . Storage . Coming up, of course, with the taxes that the government wants. Did you hear from them . No, no, they just said, let those people keep their inheritance. [ laughs ] we have so many other people. Yes, of course. So, does that weigh in to whether you have to sell something, the fact that you have to pay taxes . Absolutely. So, what should elenas family do . They decide its too expensive to keep the strad. Theyre keenly aware that a successful auction could yield millions quite a nice nest egg in retirement. But selling a 300yearold stradivarius is no small undertaking. Its a cutthroat world in the world of musical instruments. We came to understand all kinds of things that could go wrong. Thats next. But first, our strange inheritance quiz question. The answer when we return. E trade is all about seizing opportunity. And id like to. Cut. So im gonna take this opportunity to direct. Thank you, well call you. Evening, film noir, smoke, atmosphere. Bob. Youre a young farmhand and e trade is your cow. Milk it. E trade is all about seizing opportunity. Weinto a new american century. Born with a hunger to fly and a passion to build something better. And what an amazing time its been, decade after decade of innovation, inspiration and wonder. So, we say thank you america for a century of trust, for the privilege of flying higher and higher, together. When master cellist Bernard Greenhouse dies at the age of 95, his heirs face a quandary what to do with his beloved stradivarius, worth millions of dollars. My father, in his will, left the cello to me and to my sister. He left no instructions. He was unable to confront the sale of the cello, and he preferred to let us figure it out so that he could have it till the very last day of his life. Im in boston to understand how elena and her family deal with their strange inheritance. Elena does her homework and decides to sell the strad through Chris Reuning from reuning son. Chris is a rareinstrument dealer. Hes also a cellist and a luthier, someone who makes or repairs stringed instruments. How do you decide what bernards stradivarius is worth . Well, i think the first thing, you have to evaluate the quality. And then it also helps to know what the market history has been. So, in the case of this cello, we did know what other stradivari cellos had sold for. And we could compare the quality of this one to those. Back in 2002, a similar cello sold for 5 million. But over the past several years, collectors have driven the price of rare instruments way up, and each one has its own history a unique story thats a big factor in whether it fetches a 6, 7, or even 8figure price at auction. Nobody knows this cellos story better than elenas husband, nicholas delbanco. A novelist by trade, delbanco actually wrote an entire book about the instrument. Its called the countess of stanlein restored, and it describes the painstaking restoration his fatherinlaw commissioned for the countess back in the 1990s. The wear and tear on such instruments is very high. Aside from all the physical stress, theres change in climate, change in temperature, change in humidity. And at a certain point, the cello was almost as weary as he. Nicholas book details a harrowing process. The cello was popped open with a knife and sat in pieces for months while some of its wood was patched. Bernie got more and more restless and more and more ready to have his hearts darling returned. He said, then, i will never let it go again, and he never did. But he did play the strad for more than another decade, and he let his students play it, too. In the last years of his life, bernard remained so attached to the cello that he slept with it. Chris reuning believes every serious bidder will demand proof that the countess has no significant hidden flaws. In this case, we actually did a c. T. Scan of the cello. Like a doctor does. Yes. Is that unusual . We dont do it very often, but in this case there were some questions, if there was a crack. Chris reuning called me one day here at the shop and said, john, ive got this cello that i need c. T. Scanned right away. Chris flies with the strad to a hospital in minnesota, where experts are ready to diagnose the patient. The worry . Vast sums could be wiped from this multimilliondollar sale if the countess has damage from cracks or, worse, wormholes made inside the cello by tiny larvae. Would that equate to thousands of dollars, hundreds of thousands of dollars . Another quiz question. The answer in a moment. When it comes to Small Business, shes in the know. So strap yourselves in for action flo Small Business edition. Oh, no im up to my neck in operating costs ill save the day for plumbers and bakers and scapers of lawn, shes got customized coverage you can count on. You chipped my birdbath now youre gonna pay not so fast i cover more than just cars and trucks. Action flo did somebody say insurance . Children flo action flo cut can i get a smoothie, please . Ooh they got smoothies . For me. Ooh they got smoothies . Whewhat does it look like . Ss, is it becoming a better professor by being a more adventurous student . Is it one day giving your daughter the opportunity she deserves . Is it finally witnessing all the artistic wonders of the Natural World . Whatever your definition of success is, helping you pursue it, is ours. Tiaa. patrick 2 pretty great. Ke to be the boss of you . patrick 1 how about a 10 raise . patrick 2 how about 20 . patrick 1 how about done . patrick 2 thats the kind of control i like. And thats what they give me at national car rental. I can choose any car in the aisle i want without having to ask anyone. Who better to be the boss of you. patrick 1 than me. I mean, you. Us. vo go national. Go like a pro. In the fall of 2011, the heirs of Bernard Greenhouse anxiously await the results of a c. T. Scan not on a person, but on a 300yearold stradivari cello, known as the countess of stanlein. Millions of dollars are at stake. Radiologist steven sirr performed a scan just like this one. The diseases that affect the old cellos, theyre usually caused by two things. One is cracks. The other abnormality is wormholes carved by larvae, which eat the channels of wood until sometimes theres hardly any original wood left. What exactly is happening as it goes through . The c. T. Scanner produces xrays, which are highenergy light beams and very thin sheets. This is the actual c. T. Scan of the stradivarius. Chris shares with me his bottom line. This cello has been in constant use since 1800. And its always been a players instrument. So, its been cared for beautifully. But there are cracks. Whatever tiny cracks there might be, they dont affect the cellos unique sound. Chris is able to set the official opening bid for Bernard Greenhouses stradivari cello at a cool 6. 2 million. Theres just one hitch. The delbancos might not accept the highest bid if its from such rich investor who just wants to lock the countess away in a vault. A cello is only half, perhaps not even half, itself if unheard. It had been his expressed desire and conviction that it be played. And you made a decision that the strad was better in the hands of someone who could play it than on the shelf of someone who would pay more for it . Well, potentially pay more for it, but we just didnt want it on a shelf. So, the idea was that they would be able to open the bids, look at all the factors the price, whos buying it and choose one of those bids. Chris agrees to this unusual condition. Its not every day you get to sell a 300yearold stradivarius. So, off he goes with the countess on a World Marketing tour. All the cellists that i showed it to were completely shocked about the sound. All of them said it was the best cello theyd ever played. I had to wonder. Is the sound of a strad really so divine . After all, researchers recently blindfolded professional musicians and had them play violins, mixing historic strads with top new ones. Most said they preferred the sound of modern instruments. So, i asked boston Symphony Orchestra cellist Mihail Jojatu to play two cellos for me, one modern and one from the 18th century, and not tell me which was which. Can you play each one to see if somebody who doesnt know as much as you do can tell the difference . Sure. My pleasure. You listen, too. What do you think . [ playing midtempo Classical Music ] that was spectacular. So, to me, that sounds as good as it gets. Lets try this one. I have to say that the sound sounded to me richer, deeper. You have a good ear. Really . Im shocked. Yes, this is a goodquality, modern cello. Its a couple years old. And this is mihails cello. This was made in what year . In 1780. I had one more request. If i were a student of yours, could you teach me to play one note . Sure. Chris, would you let me . I suppose, yes. You suppose . I sense hesitation. No, i trust you. [ cello screeching ] am i hurting the value of this cello . Yes. [ laughing ] im sorry i better stop. Returning to the tale of the countess of stanlein, it isnt long before sealed bids start coming in. In boston, chris sits down with the delbancos to open them and pick a buyer. What was the emotion in the room when you open the first bid for elena and nicholas to look at . You know, there was not a dry eye in the room because this cello was so much part of their life and signified her relationship to her father. Saying goodbye to the countess of stanlein were more painful than i expected it to be. We all sat down in a little Seating Group in his office, and we put the cello as part of the Seating Group, and i began to feel more and more upset, and we just closed the case. And ive never seen it again. In the end, the greenhouse heirs accept a bid they feel they cannot refuse. It comes not from a cello virtuoso but from a foreign billionaire. But thats one last twist to this story when we return on strange inheritance. I know how it is. Youre all set to book a flight using your Airline Credit card miles. And surprise those seats sometimes cost a ridiculous number of miles, making it really hard to book the flight you want. Luckily, theres a better way. With the capital one venture card. With venture, youll earn unlimited double miles on every purchase, every day. And when youre ready to travel, just book the flight you want, on any airline, then use your miles to cover the cost. Now youre getting somewhere. Whats in your wallet . You cant breathed. Through your nose. Suddenly, youre a mouthbreather. Well, just put on a breathe right strip which instantly opens your nose up to 38 more than Cold Medicine alone. Shut your mouth and say goodnight mouthbreathers. Breathe right eight months after virtuoso cellist Bernard Greenhouse dies, his heirs accept a secret bid on their stradivari cello. The price . All the auctioneer will say is that its significantly higher than the 6. 2 million opening bid. Whats significantly higher than 6. 2 million . Yeah, the reason im not disclosing the price is out of respect to the buyer. A fair bid to me is 15 to 20 higher. Significantly higher is 50 higher. Is it between 15 and 50 . Good try. [ chuckles ] okay, so i tried. And the delbancos are keeping it a secret, too. But in the end were they able to honor greenhouses wish, that the countess be played and not shut away in a vault or museum . The buyer, it turns out, is a canadian billionaire, jacqueline desmarais. She decides to permanently loan the countess to a 20yearold canadian virtuoso named stephane tetreault. Ive known about Bernard Greenhouse for years. Hes a huge figure in music history. To have the chance to even touch his cello was just an honor. After the auction, the delbancos never intended to see the countess again. Welcome. Thank you. Welcome. But then, we offered them a chance to meet stephane for the first time, at the Carriage House recital hall near boston. [ playing midtempo Classical Music ] as i listen, i cant help but think that if stephane performs as long as greenhouse did, the countess of stanlein will be heard for many decades to come. That was lovely. Bravo. So good to hear you play. What a pleasure to meet both of you. And you. Really. Really. That was very beautiful. I was quite nervous, actually. What a great pleasure. Pleasure. Let me just. Oh, there she is. So, in this tale of music and money, the delbancos seem satisfied that they have found a way to split the difference. More money might have made a difference in your life. How do you walk away from that . Theres never enough if you think in those terms. An extra million or six would hardly have mattered. I think it was a very special strad, and i think were really happy with the outcome. Before we go, i want to share this last thought. You know, years ago, back in the old days, Bernard Greenhouse and the trio could count on a break from the airlines when they had to fly the cello, allowing bernard to buy a childs ticket at halfprice. Well, once at the airport, a ticket agent called mr. Greenhouse over after seeing the name cello on the ticket and said, mr. Greenhouse, how old is your son, cello . To which bernard laughed, winked, and responded, 250 years old. Im jamie colby. Thanks so much for joining us on strange inheritance. And dont forget. You cant take it with you. Do you have a strange inheritance story youd like to share with us . Wed love to hear it. Send me an email or go to our website, strangeinheritance. Com. Majestic trees thousands of years old. These are the biggest trees ive ever seen, and theyre beautiful. The redwood forest has been on the planet since the dinosaurs. Then the ax men cometh. One makes a redwood his ultimate log cabin. What . A logrolling attraction. Its her strange inheritance. I was the only child, so i knew i was always gonna get the log. But the road takes its toll. Its hard to be the log lady and have a life and be the truck driver and the repair person and do it all. Shes got a big decision to make. She sure does, jamie. She sure does. And what happens when its time for the log to be inherited from you . [ suspenseful music plays ] [ door creaks ] [ wind howls ] [ thunder rumbles ] [ bird caws ] [ midtempo music plays ] im jamie colby, and today im heading to the annual blueberry festival in plymouth, indiana. Its not exactly the kind of place youd expect to see a massive california redwood, but this tree rocks because it rolls. My name is jamie allen, and, in 1985, when i was 23, my father passed away, and he left me something that his father left him, and its kept me on the road all my life. Jamie . Jamie . [ chuckles ] how are you . Its really great to meet you. And how funny we have the same name. Lets get started, then. All right, here we go. This is one serious tree trunk. [ midtempo folk music plays ] and the root of the story, according to jamie, is in the late 1930s. When her grandfather, james allen, is a lumberjack in northern california. James, a widower with a son in the army, sees redwood trees so massive that several men can easily fit inside the hollowed trunks. One day, during a sudden rain squall, he seeks shelter in the trunk of a giant redwood. Thats when it occurs to james that he could actually make a home out of one. It was