How a Baldwin Grand Piano became a permanent part of The White House Collection.

During the Clinton years in Arkansas, the Little Rock Baldwin dealer worked with the governor to place a Baldwin M in the Governor's Mansion. The project was a success and the new instrument became a permanent part of the Mansion collection being placed on the first floor in a sitting room to the left of the main entrance foyer.

                                            Baldwin M at the Governor's Mansion. Open to the public by appointment.

After the Clintons arrived in Washington, it was the aim of the Little Rock Baldwin dealer to place a Baldwin grand piano in the White House. The goal was to sell an SD10 and afford it equal status to the "Eagle" Steinway.  When the sale closed, the dealer was to fly to Washington and present the piano to the White House.

When Baldwin caught wind of the plan much of this changed. The dealer who had worked so hard to bring this to fruition was sidelined. Ultimately, Corporate made the presentation to the Clintons, not of an SD10, but a donated R226;  not with equal status to the Steinway, but in a private room in the White House residence.

Needless to say we were all disappointed. 

Today, the Baldwin 226 R remains on the third floor of the White House residence in the Central Hall -  a permanent part of the collection.

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BOB WIDDING
PIANO TECHNICIAN
2014.