Professor snuggles with historic violin to prevent damage during North Texas power outages

An SMU professor said he's been snuggling with a priceless violin from the 1600s to prevent it from being damaged by power outages from extreme winter weather conditions.

DALLAS - North Texans are trying to protect things important to them during this record cold. For one SMU professor, that includes a priceless violin.

"I’ve been using this beautiful violin for 10 years and it’s one I searched for my whole life," said SMU professor Aaron Boyd.

"It’s a gorgeous old Italian masterpiece made in 1690’s in Venice by a contemporary of Antonio Stradivari, a great Venetian maker named Matteo Gofriller."

It’s pristine, preserved and priceless -- more than 300 years old.

"It’s so precious to me that when the house got into the 40s two nights ago, I couldn’t risk any damage happening to it from cold. So I put it in the bed between myself and my son so we could keep it warm," Boyd said.

He’s protecting his precious possession against the same elements North Texans are protecting themselves from.

"I think if we have a couple of days of secure power, regular power, regular heat, I feel comfortable putting him back in his own room downstairs."

North Texans share warm stories of neighbors who have helped them

ERCOT says winterizing power plants optional, power won't be fully restored until at least Thursday