Bursting the Stradivarius Bubble

People often tell me about finding a Stradivarius violin at a flea market or antique mall for an incredible steal. I always hate to burst their bubble, so now I can let the Smithsonian Institute do the bubble bursting for me. Here is a great article that describes just why you find so many "Strads" in second-hand shops. http://www.si.edu/Encyclopedia_SI/nmah/stradv.htm