Liberace
The Gibson Foundation, the charitable arm of the Nashville-based guitar manufacturer, filed suit in federal court this week seeking the return of a bejeweled piano once used by Liberace.
Gibson gave the 9-foot Baldwin SD-10 (Gibson owns Baldwin) to the Piano Mill, a Massachusetts restorer and dealer, in 2011. In the lawsuit, the foundation argues that the Piano Mill was supposed to restore and hold on to the instrument but never own it. But the Massachusetts business, which has used the piano in the intervening years for limited commercial engagements, is claiming ownership, according to court documents.
Gibson attorneys have contacted the Piano Mill multiple times this year warning of criminal or civil legal action if the piano is not returned. Gibson, which was relaunched this year, initially requested the piano’s return for “upcoming promotions on Broadway,” according to the lawsuit, and later indicated that it planned to auction the instrument to support the foundation’s work promoting music education. (The Piano Mill was promised a cut of the auction proceeds, according to correspondence between the parties’ attorneys.)
Jonathan Warren, board chair of the Las Vegas-based Liberace Foundation that owns a twin of the disputed piano, calls it an “absolutely iconic instrument.”
“There’s nothing like them,” Warren says. “They’re the advent of bling.”
He says he does not know who owns the disputed instrument but questions the Gibson Foundation’s decision to auction it off. His organization, he says, loans its instruments out for performances that bring in recurring money, including for Cardi B’s 2019 Grammys performance.
“These are income-producing instruments," he says. "For them to auction it like this is ill-advised. The one-off of an auction is a silly pittance compared to what they’d earn over time.”
While his foundation does not have the financial resources to participate in a hypothetical auction, Warren says they would gladly accept the piano as a donation.
According to Warren, Liberace used the piano, which reportedly features 200 pounds of rhinestones, during a famous series of performances at Radio City Music Hall in New York City before his death in 1987.
The Liberace piano’s time in Massachusetts has been eventful. A 2015 snowstorm collapsed the business’ roof, leaving many pianos damaged — but not the best-known.
“This is a very special piano, that has both legendary status and significant value, which we intend to auction for charity,” says Dendy Jarrett, executive director of the Gibson Foundation. “After several attempts to have the piano returned back to us, we were left with no other option other than pursuing this course of legal action. We are excited to get our piano back so we can continue to add to the renewed momentum of the Gibson Foundation and our Gibson Gives music program.”
An attorney for the Piano Mill declined to comment.
