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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial'>An auction house in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City
w:st="on">Oakland</st1:City>, <st1:State w:st="on">CA</st1:State></st1:place>
will be selling the 1896 custom-designed <span class=SpellE>Bosendorfer</span> owned
by Johann Strauss on September 9:<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial'><a
href="http://www.clars.com/archive/year_2007/Sep2007/na_specialcollections_b.html">http://www.clars.com/archive/year_2007/Sep2007/na_specialcollections_b.html</a>
<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><st1:place w:st="on"><b><u><font size=1 color=darkblue
face=Verdana><span style='font-size:7.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Verdana;color:darkblue;font-weight:bold'>Lot</span></font></u></b></st1:place><b><u><font
size=1 color=darkblue face=Verdana><span style='font-size:7.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Verdana;color:darkblue;font-weight:bold'># 6318</span></font></u></b><b><u><font
size=1 color=darkblue face=Verdana><span style='font-size:7.0pt;font-family:
Verdana;color:darkblue;font-weight:bold'><br>
<br>
</span></font></u></b><font size=1 color=black face=Verdana><span
style='font-size:7.0pt;font-family:Verdana;color:black'>For the first time in
recent memory, a piano owned and played by a major classical composer will come
to an auction block anywhere in the world. </span></font><b><font size=1
color=black face=Verdana><span style='font-size:7.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Verdana;color:black;font-weight:bold'>Johann Strauss <span
class=SpellE>II’s</span></span></font></b><font size=1 color=black
face=Verdana><span style='font-size:7.0pt;font-family:Verdana;color:black'> (1825-1899)
original piano, a Bösendorfer, recently made the journey from the Historical
Museum of Vienna, Austria to <span class=SpellE>Clars</span>, a regional
auction gallery and will sell the grand piano in early September 2007 on behalf
of Strauss’ heirs, who reside in the Bay Area <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><font
size=1 color=black face=Verdana><span style='font-size:7.0pt;font-family:Verdana;
color:black'>Not only was the piano a key element to Strauss’s success,
but it also comes with a rich history. Strauss, the famed composer and
conductor known as “The King of the Waltz”, began composing and
conducting at an early age, stepping in when his father, famed composer and
violinist Johann Strauss I, died in 1849 at the age of 45. In 1896, Ludwig
Bösendorfer presented his dear friend Johann Strauss with the gift of a
Bösendorfer custom-made grand piano. Amazingly, the original paperwork,
including a pro-forma bill of sale from the Bösendorfer Piano Company and
Strauss’ signature confirming receipt of the gift, has remained with the
piano for over 100 years. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial'>Unfortunately, no details are provided as to the
condition of the piano.<span style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>The pre-sale
estimate is between $50,000 and $100,000, though said it may go for 7 figures
given the piano’s historical significance.<span
style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;mso-no-proof:yes'>Rob</span><span style='mso-no-proof:
yes'><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
mso-no-proof:yes'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;mso-no-proof:yes'>Mitchell Piano Service</span><span
style='mso-no-proof:yes'><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;mso-no-proof:yes'><a
href="http://www.mitchellpianoservice.com">www.mitchellpianoservice.com</a></span><span
style='mso-no-proof:yes'><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;mso-no-proof:yes'>(415) 994-1030</span><o:p></o:p></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
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