A $500,000 bejeweled piano once owned by the iconic Liberace is said to be safe after the roof collapsed at the music store where it was being housed in Massachusetts.
The roof collapse came after a brutal snowstorm hit the region last week, leaving everyone unclear if the piano had survived the damages. The snow left a gaping hole in the Piano Mill, the store that houses the famed instrument, about 100 feet by 100 feet, according to Rockland Fire Chief Scott Duffey. The town got more than 27 inches of snow from the storm, contributing to the roof collapse. There were no people inside the building at the time the roof fell.
The piano is said to be worth about $500,000 and is encrusted with 88,888 Swarovski rhinestones. Robert Norris, owner of the Massachusetts piano store, restores old pianos for resale at the store and people all around the country. He came into possession of the 9-foot Baldwin concert grand piano from the Baldwin Piano Company, and since then it has been his store's claim to fame.
Jonathan Warren, chairman of the Liberace Foundation, which is based in Las Vegas, reached out to Norris after hearing the news and offered to help in any way. The foundation has connections with people who would be able to restore the speciality item, considering the difficulty from the Swarovski rhinestones.
“It was one of his favorite pianos, which was saying something because he played a lot of pianos,” Warren told The Enterprise.
But fears were eased when Norris learned that no harm has come to the piano during the snowstorm.
“It’s not just a piano. This man was a huge influence on music culture,” Warren said. “It’s worth about $500,000. I think there are thousands of fans who would tell you it’s priceless. There’s only a few of these things and there’s only one Liberace. He’s the reason why the signs in Las Vegas look like they do.”
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