The Walden Woods Piano

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed)
Oct 4th 2007 at 11:02AM

I've seen some gorgeous custom pianos over the years but this is one of the most striking. It is a unique collaboration between Steinway and Sons, marquetry artist Silas Kopf, popular recording artists, and two charities (the Walden Woods Project and American Forests). The Walden Woods Art Case piano is being auctioned off tonight by Christie's at a fundraising event in Manhattan. Proceeds benefit the Walden Woods project which preserves Walden Woods and fosters the next generation of conservationists and American Forests, the nation's oldest nonprofit conservation group.

The plate of the piano has been signed, and the piano has been played by a variety of artists including Elton John, Dave Brubeck, Herbie Hancock, Bruce Hornsby and Billy Joel. Billy Joel will play the Walden Steinway during his performance at the fundraiser/auction and Don Henley, the founder of Walden Woods will also perform. The marquetry wood art on the piano is made of naturally felled wood from the area surrounding historic Walden Pond in Massachusetts. The piano has a series of plaques surrounding the rim that depict trees and plants that Thoreau wrote about. The legs of the piano are inverted arches that depict Walden Pond and one of Thoreau's most well known quotations ("I went to the woods to live deliberately...") surrounds the upper rim of the piano. It is hoped that the piano will go for at least $500,000. The hi-res pic is in the gallery below so you can see the detail on this amazing piece.

Gallery: Walden Woods Piano

Tags: charity, christie's, piano, steinway, walden woods

Filed under: Auctions, Charity

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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Zola Oct 5th 2007 5:52AM

For two reasons, i wish it would generate more than $500,000.

1) Of course Charity
2) The artistic touch attached to it deserves recognition.

http://www.elitechoice.org/2007/10/05/the-walden-woods-art-case-piano/