The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1894-11-24
PIANO WORTH $4,000.

Inc Uorgeousiy Decorated Ins'i ~
be introduced to New York society
When Cornelius vanderbilt's Daughter
Makes Her Debut,
When Cornelius Vnderbilt opens MS
new house at Fifty-eighth stree1 anu
Fifth avenue, New York, with pall
soon to be given to introduce his oaugh-
ter to society, Siedl will sit down 10
SIS, 600 piano which has now been put IN
place in one of the magnificent parlors'
This piano is said to be one OF the nhesU
Instruments ever made 1t is not ex-
pected that the exquisite paintings by
Kammerer which decorate the sides and
top of this piano will materially assist
the Vanderbilt children in acquiring
lightness and delicacy of touch ana that
perfection of Instrumentation winch
make the great player. But the pictures
will much enhance the beauty OF the
room in which the instrument IS placed
and add materially to it's interest.
A piano is ordinarily an odd looking
plSCo VI LII hiOuIC anu "a fS'"~N ~ 49,
casing would he lideous. But modern
piano makers have succeeded in making
the instrument graceful and pleasing
in it's outlines and impressive In it's solid
ity. Occasionally some millionaire comes
along who is not satisfied with the ma
hogany, satin wood. eboHy and other ex-
pensive woods with which the finest
pianos are finished. He must have
something out of the ordinary, and has
a piano built to order. Mr.. Vanderbilt's
piano was built to order, but according
to the New York World the principal
reason why it was so costly is that it
was sought to. make it harmonic with
the room in which it should be placed
and be in itself a work of art. So far
as the essential parts of it's mechanism
are concerned il is no better than the
first class pianos of the same make which
any poor man can buy OF rent. But as
an art object it is unique, and the case
alone could be priced by any museum.
In general terms it is a Steinway concert
grand piano, straight along one side and
curved on the other, with three legs
and top which lifts from the side.
The legs of this piano, which were spec
tally designed, are fiat and decorated
with elaborate carvings of palm leaves.
EUROPE DECORATED AMERICAN
GROUNDWORK.
The groundwork of the whole instru-
ment is in four shades of green, ranging
from the delicate pistache to the darker
chrome green known to artists. Upon
top and bottom and around the sides
of this beautiful instrument are many
elaborate carvings, all of gliutering gilt
The whole scheme of decoration is in the
style of Louis XIV, SO that the piano is
in harmony with the Louis X. rooms
in Mr.. Vanderbilt's house. 1t is not
supposed that this instrument will be
placed in Louis XIV room or by mis-
take be set up against a Charles x. side
board.
OF course the piano stool which goes
along with the instrument is in the
Louis XIV. style. The piano stool is
said to have cost over $4,000. Like the
instrument, it is conceived in a scheme
of green and gold. But none of the ex-
auisite paintings of kammerer which
decorate the main body of the piano is
duplicated or repeated on the piano
stool. These paintings are in separate
panels along the sides and on the top of
the cover, and one Of the finest is on the
cover which drops down over the key
board. All of the decorative WORK on
MIR. Vanderbi's piano was done in Eu-
rope. The whole piano case, including
all the woodwork, was done in this
country. Then it was taken apart and
shipped to Paris to Gilbert Cuel, of 20
Rue des Capucines, under whose super
merer was secured to paint the panels,
which number half a dozen. He is noted
in Paris tor decorative work in the Louis
XIV. style, and few samples of his
skill are to be seen in the private houses
of New York. His painting was directly
on the wood. which had previously I'M
dergone elaborate preparation to prevent
it from warping or cracking, and i'll this
condition it is said it will last for CEN
turtles. Another noted artist was put
at work on the minor decorations.
Kammerer's panels show some exquis-
lite color work In a light key. There are
landscapes and allegorical pieces with
bewildering array of clpids and little
goddesses and many pleasing fancies en-
blem atical of music and the arts. When
all the work had been completed in
Paris, the various pieces going to make
up the whole case were carefully packed
and shipped to the makers of the instru-
ment in New York city, where the frame,
the keyboard and the essential parts OF
the instrument were waiting.
Music lovers do not expect any great
results from the SIS, 900 piano, but artists
in decoration are deeply interested in it.
1t is said that the uItilmte fate of this
instrument, after perhps it has been
handed down through several generations
of Vanerbilts. will be tt find a final rest
NJ in tho Int Tor MYtgRT m of