Raspbernie Posted August 3, 2009 Report Share Posted August 3, 2009 In January 2000, I was searching for Eric Carmen rarities on eBay when a very interesting autograph caught my eye. It was a vintage 1917 Steinway grand piano. The listing noted that the piano was signed by "famous musician Eric Carmen." I immediately picked up the phone and dialed Eric, who checked out the auction item and then returned my call with a very surprising story. Turns out this very Steinway was the piano Eric wrote just about every one of his songs from his early Raspberries days through his first couple of solo albums. "Let's Pretend." "I Can Remember." "All By Myself." "Go All The Way." Eric called it his "magic piano." I recall Eric saying on a local radio station in the early '70s that at one point the only piece of furniture he had in his apartment was a piano. This piano. He sold the piano when he moved to Los Angeles and signed it for the new owner. How it ended up in a Chicago piano dealer's eBay auction is anybody's guess. The auction closed with the reserve unmet at $15,100, so it's whereabouts are currently unknown. And yes, in case you were wondering, Eric did place a bid. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raspbernie Posted August 3, 2009 Author Report Share Posted August 3, 2009 $15,100 was the final bid before the auction closed and that amount did not meet the seller's reserve, so the actual price would have been higher. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bessieboo Posted August 3, 2009 Report Share Posted August 3, 2009 EricWas this a special piano to you? Would you like it back if you had the room for another piano? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
missm Posted August 3, 2009 Report Share Posted August 3, 2009 Bernie, what is a "reserve auction"? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirk Posted August 4, 2009 Report Share Posted August 4, 2009 Oooh, that's nice. Don't know if I could have given that up. Magic Piano, indeed! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirk Posted August 4, 2009 Report Share Posted August 4, 2009 A reserve auction has to meet a pre-set minimum price (usually unknown to the bidders) or there is no sale. Sometimes the seller will contact the highest bidder to work out a deal even if the reserve is not met. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darlene Posted August 4, 2009 Report Share Posted August 4, 2009 Steinway pianos are the creme de la creme in professional circles and even without its illustrious provenance, this piano would be an amazing bargain. Given its amazing history, it truly is a *magic* piano. I would love to have that magic in my living room! If Eric really did bid on the piano, I would hope that one day this miracle instrument would find its way back to him so it can produce more magic. --Darlene Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stringer Posted August 13, 2009 Report Share Posted August 13, 2009 Wow, Eric's piano! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seattlesteve Posted August 20, 2009 Report Share Posted August 20, 2009 Me thinks EC should buy the piano back, as well as a cut a deal to get his white Melody back from Joan Jett. Weren't virtually all hits composed/performed on those two instruments? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LC Posted January 29, 2019 Report Share Posted January 29, 2019 Two questions: 1) Anyone ever find out more information about where this piano ended up? 2) What ever happened to Seattle Steve and Stringer? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirk Posted January 29, 2019 Report Share Posted January 29, 2019 LC, the last time Seattle Steve posted was in March of 2016. Before that, it had been several years since he posted. Stringer last posted in February of 2016, and it had been a couple of years between that post and the previous one. I don't know if they belong to any of the FB groups regarding Eric or 'berries... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LC Posted January 29, 2019 Report Share Posted January 29, 2019 Lots of disappearing acts, huh? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirk Posted January 30, 2019 Report Share Posted January 30, 2019 None more obvious than Eric's... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave from Equinox Posted February 18, 2019 Report Share Posted February 18, 2019 Heh. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michelle Posted February 7, 2021 Report Share Posted February 7, 2021 Eric and his "magic piano" lived in the same high rise in Euclid, Ohio, on the same floor, the 21st, that I lived in.(same years,too) He couldn't remember if he was in the east or west building when I asked him. I was in the west....if I had only known. He would have had to get a restraining order against me. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Helen G Posted December 14, 2021 Report Share Posted December 14, 2021 LC asked.... "1) Anyone ever find out more information about where this piano ended up? " If we had the Steinway-assigned serial number from the auction sale (I can't see that info in the auction photos) OR if Eric ever made note of it from when it was in his possession, it might be possible to trace it through subsequent or more recent sales. My favorite line from "Groundhog Day" is from the scene where Phil is playing piano MUCH better than when he first started lessons.... Piano Teacher: Not bad... Mr. Connors, you say this is your first lesson? Phil: Yes, but my father was a piano *mover*, so... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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