Whether it’s because he’s retired from touring and doesn’t need it anymore we’re not sure, but what we can tell you is that Elton John has just sold a Yamaha grand piano - a C6F PE model from 1992, to be precise - at auction in the US.
Part of a sale known as ‘The Collection of Sir Elton John: Goodbye Peachtree Road’, at Christie’s, the piano sold for a not insignificant $201,000, way above its estimated price of between $30,000 and $50,000. As such, you could say that around $150,000 of the value is based on who the owner is/was.
Sitting between the C5 and C7 in Yamaha’s range, the C6 is a premium ‘conservatoire’ grand piano with a fast action and bright, clear tone. The one owned by Elton has a polyester polished ebony finish with mahogany veneer interior and comes with an adjustable bench.
Other items that sold on the first night of the ongoing auction include a pair of silver leather tall platform boots, which fetched $94,500, and a Banksy artwork known as Flower Thrower Triptych, which was acquired directly from the artist and went for $1,925,500.
Elton John wrapped up his Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour last year, with one of the highlights coming when he headlined the Glastonbury Festival. The performance had an inspiring effect: In the week after the festival (June 26 to July 3) Casio said that sales of its digital pianos and electronic keyboards more than doubled in comparison to the same period in 2022, rising by a huge 133%.
