When properly looked after, the piano, one of the most popular musical instruments in the world today, can look forward to an existence of 40 years, which must have been on pop star George Michael's mind when he bought John Lennon's Steinway Model Z piano in 2000 for 1.67 million.
This whopping price tag has given this rather modest and ordinary looking instrument, on which John Lennon penned the classic 'Imagine', the coveted title of the most expensive piano ever sold. Produced by Steinway & Sons, an American and German manufacturer of handmade pianos founded in 1853 in New York, the piano went on a 'peace tour' in 2007 to places of past violence around the world.
This expensive piano was not the only one to be produced by this famous company. In 2008, in Steinberg's factory in Hamburg, Germany, the world's most expensive piano, priced at $1.2 million, was built. The work of Shi Qui, a Chinese painter, was reproduced for the lid and 40 different woods were used in the making of the instrument. The 'Sound of Harmony' took four years to produce and art collector Guo Qingxiang became the owner. In 2010, the piano was on display at the Expo 2010 Shangai China.
In 1997, another piano of Steinway & Sons, the Alma Tadema, sold for $1.2 million, making it the second most expensive grand piano sold at auction. Originally commissioned by New York millionaire Henry G. Marquand in 1894, the piano was described as the most decorative piano ever made because of its oil paintings, intricate carvings and complex inlays, all produced by famous painter Sir Lawrence Alma-Tadema.
In the present day, the most expensive new limited edition piano is widely known to be the Limited Edition Kuhn-Bsendorfer, which was unveiled in 2009 by Jon Kuhn and took a year and a half to make. Kuhn, the world's foremost cold glass sculptor, was also responsible for its design, along with L Bsendorfer Klavierfabrik GmbH of Vienna, Austria. It is currently on sale for $1.2 million.
This whopping price tag has given this rather modest and ordinary looking instrument, on which John Lennon penned the classic 'Imagine', the coveted title of the most expensive piano ever sold. Produced by Steinway & Sons, an American and German manufacturer of handmade pianos founded in 1853 in New York, the piano went on a 'peace tour' in 2007 to places of past violence around the world.
This expensive piano was not the only one to be produced by this famous company. In 2008, in Steinberg's factory in Hamburg, Germany, the world's most expensive piano, priced at $1.2 million, was built. The work of Shi Qui, a Chinese painter, was reproduced for the lid and 40 different woods were used in the making of the instrument. The 'Sound of Harmony' took four years to produce and art collector Guo Qingxiang became the owner. In 2010, the piano was on display at the Expo 2010 Shangai China.
In 1997, another piano of Steinway & Sons, the Alma Tadema, sold for $1.2 million, making it the second most expensive grand piano sold at auction. Originally commissioned by New York millionaire Henry G. Marquand in 1894, the piano was described as the most decorative piano ever made because of its oil paintings, intricate carvings and complex inlays, all produced by famous painter Sir Lawrence Alma-Tadema.
In the present day, the most expensive new limited edition piano is widely known to be the Limited Edition Kuhn-Bsendorfer, which was unveiled in 2009 by Jon Kuhn and took a year and a half to make. Kuhn, the world's foremost cold glass sculptor, was also responsible for its design, along with L Bsendorfer Klavierfabrik GmbH of Vienna, Austria. It is currently on sale for $1.2 million.