New-York tribune., 1908-03-08
$4,000 NtRoUAND PIANO.

TIE S5o-@a1 Narquand pisno - The most notable
relic Of this age of importation The case was de-
signed b. Aln1a-Tadema and executed hE Poynter
Il cost the famous collector fully The amount
named though IT auction sale on his death it
brought oufs- Slz.pa
i grand piano sith solid ebony case. i1alaid
with ivory ana lapis lazUl. The and the
panels have scenes representing Greek maidens
oancing 70 The accompaniment of ancient musical
instruments Then there was Burne-Jones piano
tlar attracted much attention. The artist fairly
covered this piano with his work There were
paintings on both sides OF the lid and ali around
The band
Americans who cared enough about a piano to
pay $yagt Cor il were cot Numerous. Several
however. willing invest Z25Gto and run the
risk Of getting art work 50 delicate and yet SO
UnTieldy safely through dangerous ocean voyage.
One Of these $4,000 pianos came = member
Of the Vanderbilt family. 1t vas wonderfuIIy-
carved with garlands hanging free from the body
OF the instrument The panels we're painted b.
Aamnerer. Of Paris. and aside from the panels
the case was covered with cream white enamel.
OF late years tte special orGer case has been
the rage, and here are not a few houses along
Fifth avenue and Riverside Drive that have spe-
cially decorated pianos They IRE not $4,000
creations by any means. but there has been and
s7lll Is unusual demand among people Of
wealth for decorated pianos costing $4,000 $4,000
and $4,000
There Is wide latitude in the decorations
Some show small panels On strict school lines 4
Louis Nv case, fc- instance with panels painted
after Vatican or Boucher Often the piano is
taken the background for idealistic paintings
There have been Faust" pianos and Romeo and
juliet" pianos. with scenes from these operas.
When the prospective purchaser Of a deco
rated piano has eccentric ideas We have trou-
bies." said the manager Of ore Of the big piano
houses TO Tribune reporter the other day. L
remember one woman who had her own ideas
/abou1 Faust She insisted Faust scene
for the lid. which would have been so bad.
hen S0a i-7=5S Te6 that in he 1--we
with Marguerite sit upon tombstone with re
laxed muscles The artist assigned TO the task
snsshed his teeth.
-our great dread in this decorative work. said
another man whose name connotes piano wherever
heard, is the difficulty in repressng the portrait
effect. Women .are often victims Of this in
congruoUs desire. They come in with the portrait
Of some departed loved which they want
painted The piano cover As vehicle for por-
traiture the piano Is unsuitable, 30 matter how
attractive the subject. They get their in nsemor-
if they insist them, but wed rather brand
the pianos with rivals name
Examples in which there is utter absence of
sy1nbolc relation in the decoration either to the
piano the music are frequent.
DO you handpaint panos." arrival from
PittsDurg few months ago asked q prominent
piano maker. Decoration Watteau style upon
the TOP and rim of d Louis XIV case was sug-
sested
The Pittsburger looked over a sample but did
ike the beautiful ma:dens playing old-fashioned
musical Instruments
'Tain't up date enough his verdict.
IT IS the latest design OF Of finest art
ists.' returned the piano man.
You don't get my idea, said the man Of money
with superior air That may be art. but / want
art that 1 compare with the original in my
minds eye Nor. the man who decorated my safe
a. the Office down Broad street caught the idea
You know I've opened Office down there among
the bulls and bears No. I'm not going into bust
ness. It's just place to Loaf III where can be
close the ticker
What did the artist put your safe% was
asked 10 cut OF the Pittsburser's boast of what
he was ecing Go o Wall Street.