By Dean Murray
A piano workshop has unveiled what may be one of the most unusual musical instruments ever created — a four-meter golden egg that opens via iPad to reveal a grand piano concealed inside.
The instrument, known as the Imperial Egg, was completed in 2022 by Goldfinch, the private atelier behind Edelweiss Pianos, after five years and 100,000 hours of work.
While the final cost has not been disclosed, the company says projects of this scale begin at £3 million (over $4 million).
A spokesperson said the commission was for a private royal residence in Europe and its existence had been kept secret until now at the client's request.
Creative director Mark Norman said the idea was inspired by the Russian Imperial eggs, ornate creations historically given by czars as gifts, each containing a hidden surprise. One such egg sold at auction for $18 million.
The project was initiated with the idea, "What if we built a human-sized version and hid a full grand piano inside?"
Despite the high level of craftsmanship involved, the project came close to collapse during the manufacturing process. Norman traveled weekly to Milan to oversee a specialist goldsmithing technique that had never been attempted at this scale, requiring 10 layers of 24-karat gold applied in a single unbroken coating.
On one occasion, an artisan warned the work might not be completed.
"It wasn't a lack of skill," Norman said. "There simply was no existing knowledge of using the material this way. Even the manufacturer couldn't help."
After months of trial and error, the team succeeded in stabilizing the process, allowing the instrument to be completed and assembled in Cambridge.
Delivering the finished piece posed further challenges. The egg was destined for a historic European building with original doorways that could not be altered, leaving a clearance of just 20 millimeters at the narrowest point. The installation required 10 specialists and partial dismantling of the interior route before being reassembled on site.
The piano now stands in a private ballroom designed around it, where it can be played manually or operated autonomously via the same app used to open it. Goldfinch continues to service the instrument every three months.
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