For First Time, Steinway Baby Grand Piano from the Historic SS United States Now on Public Display at Steinway Hall in New York Piano from America’s Flagship Once Played by Duke Ellington and Other Renowned Musicians Was Recently Acquired by SS United States Conservancy The ship’s famous Steinway & Sons piano in the SS United States’ first class ballroom, with legendary jazz bandleader Duke Ellington seated at the keys and Broadway star Ethel Merman at the microphone. NEW YOR

Is Steinway and Sons up for the challenge? The SS United States Conservancy will need an aluminum piano for its future SS United States museum. Why? Ship designer William Francis Gibbs was obsessed with fire prevention and banned wood from the legendary ocean liner, with only a few exceptions. One such exception were the Steinway Baby Grands, which were made of Mahogany. Gibbs personally cajoled Theodore Steinway to customize pianos in aluminum, and the men almost came to blo