|
|
 |
|
| Passion Investments: Antiques |
Rich Resonance
Wendy Lyons Sunshine
09/01/2005
|
Heirloom Notes
Early piano makers were originally concentrated on the East
Coast, making it more difficult for Western collectors to find a vintage
treasure. Theresa and Tom Matthews bought their mahogany 1910 Steinway in New
Jersey for their home in Wyoming. “We have a house full of antiques, so we
decided to go with an older piano rather than a new one,” says Theresa, who
thought that there was little financial risk involved. “One thing that helped us
make the decision is, should we decide to move or downsize, we could simply sell
it for what we paid for it or more.”
Although Matthews says she is a novice
musician and does not necessarily need an exceptional piano, she is happy to
have one available for the fund-raisers she hosts for a nearby opera company,
replete with renowned singers and musicians. “Some of those events really merit
a fine instrument,” she explains.
Aficionados who appreciate piano music but
do not possess the requisite skills to play it can have their vintage piano
retrofitted with a CD player that allows the instrument to be played either by
hand or automatically. Original vintage player pianos can also be found. Martha
Stewart has a restored 1926 Steinway grand player piano for her Maine
home.
Any work on a classic piano should be done by highly skilled and
experienced technicians, because poor restoration can leave lasting problems and
degrade the value of the instrument. Seeking a full-time, registered piano
technician with many years of experience is one way to narrow that search.
Another option is to go straight to Steinway & Sons in New York. For those
with a vintage Steinway already in the family, the New York factory will restore
it for $15,000 to $30,000. New buyers can visit Steinway’s retail showrooms and
browse choices available in the Heirloom Collection of certified, reconditioned
vintage Steinways.
Heirloom Collection pianos carry Steinway parts
exclusively, and are retrofitted with patented technology that was introduced
later in the 20th century. Steinway Executive Vice President Frank Mazurco notes
that an in-house restoration offers three primary features: the diaphragmatic
sound board, the wrest plank that secures the tuning pins and the accelerated
action feature that creates a highly responsive keyboard.
Eleven-year-old
Victoria Roeck’s family visited Steinway Hall in 2003, where she spent hours
playing both new pianos and old ones, looking for the sound and feel she liked
best. Her grandparents felt she had demonstrated her commitment to music by
playing a clunky upright for five years, and the time had come to find her
something better. The girl kept returning to a 5-foot, 7-inch, Model M grand in
a mahogany case from 1927. At $41,000, its cost was comparable to a new one of
the same model.
The certified vintage piano followed Victoria home to New
Jersey for Christmas that year. “I can’t tell you what a difference it makes to
a kid to have a wonderful instrument to play and appreciate,” her mother says.
“She loves it.”
Wendy Lyons Sunshine is a freelance writer based in Texas.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
