A historic Steinway & Sons piano, missing for more than a century, has made its way back to Vizcaya Museum & Gardens.
This 1916 piano had been documented in archival photos and included in an inventory list after the death of Vizcaya’s patron, James Deering. However, the piano disappeared from the estate sometime during the 1920s.
The instrument resurfaced last year in the possession of an anonymous family, who, according to the museum’s curator, Helena Gomez, prefers to remain unnamed. The American family had acquired the piano in the 1980s and passed it down through generations.
Now proudly displayed in Vizcaya’s reception room, the piano serves as a reminder of the musical atmosphere that once filled the estate.
Unlike many other items in the museum, this piano was not imported from Europe but was crafted in New York by Steinway & Sons, a company renowned for its exceptional craftsmanship and innovation in sound, as Gomez explained to WLRN.
“This is one of those pieces made in America by contemporary craftsmen that tells the story of Gilded Age America and industrialists like James Deering,” Gomez said. “It’s unique because, although it’s influenced by European designs, it’s deeply rooted in American sensibilities.”
Owning a Steinway & Sons piano was once a symbol of wealth and high society. Deering commissioned the instrument in 1915, with his artistic advisor, Paul Chalfin, specifying that it should resemble a harpsichord Deering had purchased a year earlier. After completion, the piano was sent to Chalfin’s studio for gilding and painting.
“You can see the similarities to the harpsichord in the square shape, its intricate carvings around the frame with floral and coral motifs,” Gomez explained. “The painted surface features arabesque patterns that Chalfin designed, inspired by the harpsichord’s case.”
The piano also bears a “D” for Deering on its lid, as well as an 8-point star on the board, mirroring the design of the harpsichord. It is a B-model piano, considered the ideal size for mid-sized concerts.
Standing beside the piano is its matching bench, which, according to the museum’s archival materials, was also depicted in early drawings of the instrument, confirming that the two pieces have remained together throughout the years.
Despite being over 100 years old, the piano remains in playable condition. The museum has tuned it and hopes to feature its beautiful sound in upcoming programming.
In the meantime, visitors can imagine the lively music and ambiance this Steinway & Sons piano once brought to the villa.
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