Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1917-10-13
FAMOUS ARTIST
DECORATOR OF
THIS SIEINVAY

Cornelius Vanderbilts piano is said
10 be one OF the finest instruments
ever made. Exquisite paintings by
Kammerer decorate the sides and tor
OF this piano. The pictures VIII much
enhance the beauty OF the room IN
which the instrument is placed and
add materially 10 its interest.
A piano Is ordinarily an odd looking
piece of furniture, and Invested OF its
easing would be hideous. But modern
piano makers have succeeded IN max
irg the instrument graceful and pleas
ing in its outlines and impressive in
its solidity. Occasionally some mil
iionaire comes along who is not salts.
fed with the mahogany, stain-wood
ebony and other expensive woods with
which the finest pianos are finished.
He must have something out of the
ordinary, and has a piano built to
order. Mr.. Yanderbilt'S piano was
built to order. but the principal reason
why II was so costly is that 1t was
sought TO make 1t harmonic with the
room In which it should be placed,
and in itself a work OF art.
So far as the essential parts of its
mechanism are concerned ii is no bet
ter than the first-class pianos of the
same make which any poor man can
buy or rent. But as an object it is
Unique, and the case alone would be
prized by any museum. In general
terms II is a Steinway Concert Grand
Piano. straight along one side and curv
I'd on the other, with three legs and
Top which lifts from the side. The
legs Of this piano, which we're special
~ designed, are flat and decorated
with elaborate carvings of palm
leaves. The groundwork of the whole
Instrument is in four shades of green,
ranging from the delicate pistache to
tlle darker chrome known to artists.
Upon top and bottom and around the
biues Of this beautiful instrument are
many elaborate carvings, all of glitter.
ing gilt. The whole scheme. of deco
ration is in the style of Louis XIV, so
that the piano is in harmony with the
Louis XIV. rooms in Mr.. Vanderbilts
house.
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 $1,000. Like
the instrument, 1t is conceived in a
scheme Of green and gold.
But none of the exquisite paintings
OF Kammerer which decorate the main
body OF the piano have been duplica-
ted or repeated on the stool. These
paintings are in separate panels along
the sides and on the top of the cover,
which drops down over the keyboard.
All OF the decorative work on Mr.. Van
derbilt's piano was done in Europe.
The whole piano case, including all
the work, was done in this country.
Then II was taken aport and shipped
to Paris TO Gilbert Cuel, No. 20 Rue de
Capucines under whose supervision the
decoration was begun. Kammerel
was secured to paint the panels, which
number half dozen. He is noted in
Paris for 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 undergone elaborate prepa.
ration to prevent it from warping or
cracking, and in this condition ii IS
said Il will last for centuries. Anoth- |
er noted artist was put to work on the |
minor decorations
Kammerer's panels show some ex,
quisite color work in a light KEY.
There are landscapes and alIegorical |
pieces with bewildering array of |
cupids and little goddesses and many
pleasing fancies emblematical of |
music and the arts. When all the |
work had been completed in Paris,
the various pieces going to make up
the whole case we're carefully packed |
and shipped to the makers of the in.
strument in this city. Here the frame. |
the keyboard, and the essential parts |
OF the instrument were waiting. Ii is |
said that the ultimate fate of this in.