Robert Somers Brookings, an economist, founded in 1916 what became the Brookings Institution, a respected private nonprofit public policy organization. He is believed to have acquired this violin in Europe on the advice of Joseph Joachim, the great German virtuoso and Brahms' lifelong friend. Brookings' widow presented the violin to the Library in 1938.

The "Brookings" Amati is a fine representative example of Nicolo Amati's "Grand Pattern." A violin of beautiful and elegant proportions, its craftsmanship is immaculate.