Las Vegas Sun

November 30, 2009

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Liberace player piano to be auctioned

Tuesday, April 18, 2000 | 8:54 a.m.

The Washington, D.C.-based auctioneer said the 30-year-old off-white wooden piano was expected to fetch more than $100,000 at the May 13 auction.

The famed pianist had the instrument built for entertaining guests at his Las Vegas home.

The player piano, which also is a fully functioning piano, was bought at a 1988 California estate sale by a collector who lives in Coral Springs, Fla. It is one of seven pianos custom made for Liberace, who died in 1987.

According to the entertainer's sister, the piano was his favorite, said Albert Parker, vice president in Sloan's Miami office.

Liberace recorded his own arrangements on the piano to create the 45 rolls, Parker said.

The piano was listed from $25,000 to $35,000, but Parker said it expected to fetch more because of the recent sale of Marilyn Monroe's piano.

Last October, a baby grand owned by Monroe estimated to sell for $10,000 to $15,000 sold for $632,500 in New York at Christie's auction house.

In addition, the piano on which John Lennon composed "Imagine" was expected to fetch $1.6 million when it is auctioned on the Internet in July.

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