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Special Collections and Archives
FRANKIE CARLE
researched by Music Librarian Christopher Popa
After Frankie Carle passed away in 2001, Mrs. Janet Loughlin-Rubin of Phoenix, AZ, an acquaintance of Carle's daughter, Marjorie, purchased his walnut baby grand piano, a Mason & Hamlin 5'3" model B (serial no.67937, manufactured in 1963), shown below. She later sold it to Harmony House, a local musical instrument dealer, which in turn attempted to sell the piano and other estate items on Ebay in January 2005.
According to Jon of Harmony House, "Having been a piano tuner/technician for over forty years, I can appreciate Mr. Carle's selection of this particular piano for his personal piano in his later years. Everything about the structure of the piano is excellent, including hammer action, bridges, sounding board, etc. It is apparent that it received very good care. The tone is excellent. Mason & Hamlin grands of this period were considered a rival to the Steinway. Evidently, Mr. Carle thought so too, because I am certain he could have purchased any piano he wanted."
The piano (along with LPs from Carle's personal record collection, a couple pieces of sheet music, and a glossy photograph taken in the 1940s of him playing while his daughter was singing), offered with a starting bid of $9,999.00 or a "buy-it-now" price of $14,500.00, went unsold.
Other memorabilia is in the hands of private collectors.
sources:
Ebay advertisement. "Mason & Hamlin Baby Grand Owned By Frankie Carle," Jan. 25, 2005.
