Dear Everyone,  1920's style dance band leader Vince Giordano
called recently to say that a fellow who does lighting for his weekly
shows at the Iguana [Restaurant & Dance Lounge in New York City]
claimed that his grandfather for decades owned a complete, 9-1/2-foot
Steinway Duo-Art!  Skeptical, I asked for his email address, but I am
now convinced.

His grandfather bought it from Steinert's Boston store in 1930, at
which time he was told it had been a "bootlegger's" (Kennedy's?).
He kept it until downsizing in 1987 at which time QRS's Ramsi Tick
offered him $1,000.  Dissatisfied, he proceeded to sell it to someone
on Cape Cod, for $1,200.

I believe this is true, due to the meticulous detail and the fact that
John Landry, the person telling about it, is amazingly a childhood
friend from a brilliant family where we were raised (hundreds of miles
from our current locales), and because he measured it.  (He also
remembers the precise model of the Edison phonograph I showed him,
when he was about 8, some 48 years ago!)

Of the ten 9.5-foot Duo-Art pianos that Mel Septon says were built, of
which eight have been located (but only two of which still have their
original player systems), this doesn't seem to be one.  I have talked
to the three active piano technicians on Cape Cod, and none have seen
it, making me suspect that it may be sitting idle, except for nicely
holding up someone's family photos.

If anyone reading this knows where it is, please let me know -- it
would bring "closure" to John.  Otherwise, "happy hunting!" (But do
please share, if it "turns up".)

Gordon Lee Stelter
Athens, Georgia
tel.: 1-706-351-7817