Steinway sells the red grand piano of Lang Lang to help Sichuan

[Pierre Tavlitzki]

The auction will end on July 27. Unlike my usual practice, I present to you an object that is sold only online, on eBay.

The main reason why I never speak of online sales is that I do not consider as an art sale one sale that do not have a previous exhibition. In terms of art, the exhibition is needed by the buyer to fix the price he is willing to pay.

Here it is different. The Steinway grand piano was used by Lang Lang in concert on July 15, at Central Park NYC before 63,000 spectators. At the end of that evening the young pianist has announced the sale of this instrument that he particularly appreciated for its power, says the Associated Press after an interview with the musician.

The starting bid is 165 K $. This morning, no bid has yet been registered. The funds collected will be entrusted to the organization The American Red Cross in Greater New York for relief to earthquake victims in China. Lang Lang is from the affected region, Sichuan. Associated Press says he already helped raise $ 3.5 million for this relief. This exceptional piano is a gift to Sichuan of Steinway company, says the personal site of the musician, who adds that there are only two of this model in the world.

[Pierre Tavlitzki]

For once I went on eBay, the result is eloquent: unsold, no bid to 165 K $. I would have thought that the object itself, even very good, would have little importance to the charitable gesture that was its acquisition for a potential buyer.

We saw in the past some prices rise for the sole purpose of ensuring public access to the buyer. If it is true that the art market is changing, so much the better. And as I said in barely veiled terms in the article above, eBay has no place on the art market.