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<br /> In the early 20th century, most glass production happened in factories. Even individual glassblowers making their own personalized designs would do their work in those large shared buildings. The idea of "art glass", small decorative works made of art, often with designs or objects inside, flourished. Pieces produced in small production runs, such as the Lampwork figures of <keyword id="4370830" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="stanislav-brychta">Stanislav Brychta</keyword>, are generally called art glass.<br />
<br /> By the 1970s, there were good designs for smaller furnaces, and in the <keyword id="6356955" type="COUNTRY" weightage="20" keywordseo="united-states">United States</keyword> this gave rise to the "studio glass" movement of glassblowers who blew their glass outside of factories, often in their own studios. This coincided with a move towards smaller production runs of particular styles. This movement spread to other parts of the world as well. And in India, you can now see a lot of work happening, thanks to a few dedicated artists who are passionate about glass.<br />
<br />
However India still lacks proper streamlining of the art form, be it through museum or workshops. Most artists have their own workshops where they work from and generally dependent on hospitality sector for commercial activities.<br />
<br /> Modern works of glass art can be seen in a dedicated glass museums and museums of contemporary art. These include the <keyword id="4370833" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="chrysler-museum">Chrysler Museum</keyword> in Norfolk, Virginia, the <keyword id="4370832" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="museum-of-glass">Museum of Glass</keyword> in <keyword id="110951" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Tacoma">Tacoma</keyword>, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Toledo Museum of Art, and Corning Museum of Glass, in Corning, NY, which houses the world's largest collection of glass art and history, with more than 45,000 objects in its collection. The Museum of Fine Arts in <keyword id="6368596" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="boston">Boston</keyword> features a 42.5 feet (13.0 m) tall glass sculpture, <keyword id="4370831" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="lime-green-icicle-tower">Lime Green Icicle Tower</keyword>, by <keyword id="319392" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Dale-Chihuly">Dale Chihuly</keyword>. In February 2000 the <keyword id="4370834" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="smith-museum-of-stained-glass-windows">Smith Museum of Stained Glass Windows</keyword>, located in <keyword id="6354604" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Chicago">Chicago</keyword>'s <keyword id="4370836" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="navy-pier">Navy Pier</keyword>, opened as the first museum in <keyword id="20819" type="ENTERTAINMENT" weightage="20" keywordseo="America">America</keyword> dedicated solely to stained glass <keyword id="6354717" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Windows">windows</keyword>. The museum features works by <keyword id="1036527" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Louis-Comfort-Tiffany">Louis Comfort Tiffany</keyword> and <keyword id="4370835" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="john-lafarge">John Lafarge</keyword>, and is open daily free to the public.<br />
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In India, here are the leading glass artists who are pushing the glass ceiling:<br />
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<em>(Image credit: Glass Sutra by Reshmi Dey. Sourced from the artist)</em><br />
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These artists are re-inventing the contemporary glass art in India

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Billionaire investor <keyword id="12010820" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="bill-gross" source="Orion">Bill Gross</keyword> is back in court this week over a spat with his neighbor. </li><li>The neighbor claims Gross and his wife, Amy, violated a court order regarding playing loud music.</li><li>The conflict stems from a $1 million glass sculpture on Gross's property. </li></ul><p>Billionaire <keyword id="12145914" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="bond-investor" source="Orion">bond investor</keyword> Bill Gross and his wife, Amy, are back in court this week over <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/bill-gross-legal-battle-sculpture-gilligans-island-theme-song-2020-10">an ongoing spat with their next-door neighbors</a>.</p><p>The legal battle has been raging for months between the Grosses and multimillionaire tech entrepreneur Mark Towfiq and his wife, who live directly next door in <keyword id="12145913" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="laguna-beach" source="Orion">Laguna Beach</keyword>, <keyword id="11892889" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="california" source="Orion">California</keyword>. Towfiq now claims that Gross and his wife violated a December 2020 court order that required them to stop playing loud music when they aren't outside and to follow local ordinances, <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-09-21/bill-gross-s-wife-says-neighbors-are-driving-her-out-of-her-home?sref=BWbpWjRm">Bloomberg reports</a>. </p><p>Amy Gross testified Monday that her neighbors are driving her out of her home and that she has to announce her presence when she goes outside.</p><p>"I fear going into my backyard," she testified, according to Bloomberg. "I couldn't have my wedding reception there. I couldn't have my birthday there."</p><p>Towfiq's wife, Carol Nakahara, testified that she and her husband feel helpless and that they "thought this was over" last year, Bloomberg reports.</p><h2>The conflict began last year and stems from a $1 million sculpture</h2><p>Towfiq accused the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/the-eccentric-lifestyle-of-pimco-co-founder-and-bond-king-bill-gross-2012-2">legendary bond trader and cofounder of Pimco</a> and his partner, the former professional tennis player Amy Schwartz, of harassment and intentional infliction of emotional distress. </p><p>Gross and Schwartz - who appears to have taken her husband's last name when they were married last April - had installed a a 22-foot-long sculpture on their property in Laguna Beach, California. The sculpture, created by the artist Dale Chihuly, consists of dozens of blue glass stems that reach nearly 10 feet high. It was installed by Gross as a gift to his partner in 2019 and cost $1 million, according to the <a href="https://www.latimes.com/business/story/2020-10-26/bill-gross-laguna-beach-chihuly-scultpure">Los Angeles Times</a>. </p><p>Amy Gross told the Times last year that the glass pieces "are like my babies" and that she and her mother pray to them. </p><p>But after the sculpture sustained thousands of dollars in damage, Gross installed netting to protect it from the elements, which Towfiq and his wife said blocked their view. The couple filed a complaint with the city of Laguna Beach, which led to the city inspecting the property and informing Gross that he lacked the proper permits, the Times reported.</p><p>After the complaint was filed with the city, Towfiq and Nakahara claimed that the Grosses blared the "Gilligan's Island" theme song, among other music, at all hours of the day and night, including turning the music on remotely when away from home, in an attempt to get them to drop the issue. (Bill Gross testified in December that the song has special significance for the couple.) </p><p>If Gross is found guilty of violating the restraining order, he could be jailed, according to Bloomberg.</p>

Billionaire Bill Gross and his millionaire neighbor are back in court amid a months-long feud over an expensive sculpture and the 'Gilligan's Island' theme song

<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"></div><p></p></div></div>Dying is <a href="http://www.learnvest.com/knowledge-center/how-much-do-funerals-cost/">expensive</a>. <span style="line-height: 1.5em;">The </span><a href="http://www.learnvest.com/knowledge-center/how-much-do-funerals-cost/">average cost</a><span style="line-height: 1.5em;"> of a funeral with burial and headstone ranges from $7,000 to $10,000. </span></p><p>But a <a href="https://www.caring.com/questions/how-much-does-cremation-cost">less costly alternative</a> to this traditional practice has been gaining popularity in recent years: Cremation. </p><p>For about a decade, if you had a couple thousand dollars <em>at the minimum</em> then "<a href="http://lifegem.com/">memorial diamonds</a>" <a href="http://www.algordanza.ch/allegra-welcome-to-algordanza.156.en.html?sv=fi">made from the carbon found in ashes</a> were an alternative to a traditional urn. Now, a new company with a lower cost technique and greater attention to design will transform your loved one's ashes into a treasured keepsake.   </p><h2><span style="line-height: 1.5em;"><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">Grateful Glass</span></span></h2><p><span style="line-height: 1.5em;"><span style="line-height: 1.5em;"></span><a href="http://gratefulglass.com/">Grateful Glass</a> was <span style="line-height: 1.5em;">started in 2012 by 31-year-old Matthew Olian. The company offers everything from hand-blown glass pendants, rings, and cuffs to sparkling orbs and urns made with Pyrex glass <span style="background-color: #ffffff;">and, of course, ash.</span></span></span></p><p>Olian got started blowing glass as a sophomore in <span style="background-color: #ffffff;">high school after <span>watching a documentary on famous sculptor Dale Chihuly. Soon after, </span>Olian's mother allowed him to set up his own small studio in their garage. </span></p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"></div><p></p></div></div></p><p><span style="background-color: #ffffff;">Through college at the University of Vermont and during an apprenticeship in Murano, Italy, he continued to hone his craft, </span><span style="background-color: #ffffff;">and by 2007, Olian was spending most of his time on the road, traveling from trade show to trade show to show his work.</span></p><p><span style="background-color: #ffffff;"><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">During one of his shows, a customer asked Olian to make a memorial pendant. </span></span><span style="background-color: #ffffff;"><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">Having never heard of the concept, Olian was surprised, but determined.</span><span style="line-height: 1.5em;"> </span><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">He took on the order and, within a few weeks, he managed to deliver the piece. </span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: #ffffff;"><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">"It was one of those moments where I was like 'Wow, this is a really special concept, and I don't think anyone else is doing it and I should run with it,'" Olian recalls.</span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: #ffffff;"><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">"It was a pretty special feeling to give this</span></span><span style="line-height: 1.5em;"> </span><span style="background-color: #ffffff;"><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">[customer]</span><span style="line-height: 1.5em;"> s</span></span><span style="background-color: #ffffff;"><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">uch happiness through my work," he said.</span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: #ffff00;"><span style="background-color: #ffff00;"></span><span style="background-color: #ffffff;">With a little research, Olian discovered how many people were turning to cremation, and realized he'd found an untapped market for memorial keepsakes. Even once he'd recognized this potential business opportunity, Olian still had no idea how - or even if he could - create a company out of the idea.</span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: #ffffff;"><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">It was around this</span><span style="line-height: 1.5em;"> </span><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">time that Olian's grandmother fell ill and became increasingly sick. She had no idea that her illness would leave behind a special gift that allowed Grateful Glass to, quite literally, rise from the ashes.</span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: #ffffff;"><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">Olian needed sample pieces to show his clients, he recalled, and his grandmother told him it was her wish to be cremated.</span></span></p><p>"By the time I had decided this is what I wanted to do, she had just passed away," said Olian. "<span style="line-height: 1.5em;">So all of the sample pieces are made from her ashes." </span></p><p>Close to a decade after his journey with glassmaking began, Olian launched Grateful Glass. <span style="line-height: 1.5em;">Word of his new business spread - he quickly connected himself with a large network of funeral homes around the country.</span></p><h2>The process</h2><p><span><span style="background-color: #ffffff;">Today, Olian continues to create all of his pieces by hand, wi</span>th occasional assistance from interns. </span></p><p><span style="background-color: #ffffff;"><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"></div><p></p></div></div></span></p><p><span style="background-color: #ffffff;">First, he receives the ash from his customers, which is mostly bone, and is made up of calcium phosphates and small traces of other minerals. </span><span style="line-height: 1.5em;"><span style="background-color: #ffffff;">Then, he combines it with </span>molten glass using his own encasement methods unique to each piece he designs. </span><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">Over the year<span style="background-color: #ffffff;">s, he said he's found the perfect</span> combination of temperature and time to produce a piece of glass that showcases cremated remains in the best way possible.</span></p><p>Given the subtle chemical variations in remains, the ashes react differently with the glass each time, Olian said.</p><p>"Sometimes the encased ashes look like a myriad of flecks while others create more organic bubble patterns. Sometimes they even produce interesting colors through the piece," said Olian. </p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container float_right"><div class="image"></div><p></p></div></p><p><span>Olian also makes keepsakes for people's pets.</span></p><p><span>In fact, he estimates that between</span> 35% and 40% of his orders are for former dog and cat owners<span>. While he works with pet crematories, Olian <span>says most of his customers who are looking for pet memorials find him by searching online.</span> </span><span style="line-height: 1.5em;"> </span></p><h2>"Something you can always keep on you"</h2><p><span>Although he wouldn't reveal specific numbers to Business Insider, Olian did tell us that he receives orders </span><span>for his pieces</span><span> daily and </span><span>ships</span><span> </span><span>them</span><span> all over the world. Last year, </span><span>he said</span><span>, the business grew by 25% on pieces that range from $150 to $375. </span><span>He is also commissioned to make unique pieces for several thousand dollars, </span><span>he said.</span></p><p><span style="background-color: #ffffff;"><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">Due to the delicate nature and sensitivity of his business, Olian says he does most of his promotion through word-of-mouth and his funeral home network, but he also has a </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/gratefulglassinc?fref=ts"><span style="background-color: #ffffff;">Facebook page</span></a> filled with <span style="line-height: 1.5em;">comments from happy customers.</span></span></p><p>But he adds, "Having something tangible can provide a lot of comfort and a lot of closure particularly if it's something on a smaller scale that you can always keep on you."</p>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/larry-page-shouldnt-cure-death-overpopulation-natural-resources-2015-5">Larry Page is wrong - curing death will be a big mistake</a></h3>        <div>            <div>        <div class="ooyala-video-player" data-video-autoplay="false" data-video-id="plMWk2dTpeJ8h-WqVfqPMUT7hiFXtWtm" data-player-variable="ooyalapopvideo" id="ooyalaplayer_popvideo" style="width:1280px;height:720px"></div>        </div>        </div>            </div>

People are turning their deceased loved ones' remains into jewelry - and it's gorgeous

<ul class="summary-list"><li>The billionaire investor <keyword id="174544" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="Bill-Gross">Bill Gross</keyword> has been embroiled in <a href="https://www.latimes.com/business/story/2020-10-26/bill-gross-laguna-beach-chihuly-scultpure">a contentious months-long legal battle</a> with his neighbors in Laguna Beach, California.</li><li>The dispute stems from a $1 million outdoor sculpture, around which Gross and his partner, Amy Schwartz, have installed netting to protect it from the elements. Their neighbor Mark Towfiq filed a complaint with the city, alleging the netting blocked his view.</li><li>The complaint sparked a quarrel between the neighbors, with Towfiq and his wife filing a temporary <keyword id="1310684" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="restraining-order">restraining order</keyword> alleging Gross and Schwartz blared the "<keyword id="312717" type="ENTERTAINMENT" weightage="60" keywordseo="Gilligans-Island">Gilligan's Island</keyword>" theme song at all hours to get them to drop the issue. Gross and Schwartz allege in a suit of their own that their neighbors are obsessed with them and have spied on the couple.</li><li>On Monday, Schwartz <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-12-14/bill-gross-s-girlfriend-denies-playing-music-to-harass-neighbor?sref=BLKWHazc">admitted at a hearing in Santa Ana state court to</a> loving the theme song to "Gilligan's Island" but said she doesn't play "loud music. On Tuesday, Gross himself testified that the song holds significant meaning for the couple, and denied that he played it to harass his neighbors.</li><li>Towfiq did not immediately respond to Business Insider's request for comment. </li></ul><p>The billionaire bond investor Bill Gross and his tech-entrepreneur neighbor are embroiled in a legal battle over the "Gilligan's Island's" theme song and a $1 million sculpture. </p><p>According to <a href="https://www.latimes.com/business/story/2020-10-26/bill-gross-laguna-beach-chihuly-scultpure">a report from the Los Angeles Times' Laurence Darmiento</a>, the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/the-eccentric-lifestyle-of-pimco-co-founder-and-bond-king-bill-gross-2012-2">legendary bond trader who cofounded Pimco</a> and his partner, the former professional tennis player Amy Schwartz, have been accused by their neighbor Mark Towfiq of harassment and intentional infliction of emotional distress.</p><p>According to the Times, Towfiq and his wife claim that Gross and Schwartz have been blaring the "Gilligan's Island" theme song, among other music, at all hours of the day and night, including turning the music on remotely when they're not at home, in an attempt to get them to drop the issue.</p><p>Towfiq claims the music began after he filed his initial complaint about Gross installing a 22-foot-long sculpture on his property in Laguna Beach, California. The sculpture, created by the artist Dale Chihuly, consists of dozens of blue glass stems that reach nearly 10 feet high. It was installed by Gross as a gift to Schwartz in 2019 and cost $1 million, according to the Times. </p><p>Schwartz told the Times that the glass pieces "are like my babies" and that she and her mother pray to them. </p><p>After the sculpture sustained thousands of dollars in damage, Gross and Schwartz installed netting around it to protect it from the elements, which Towfiq and his wife said blocked their view. The couple filed a complaint with the city of Laguna Beach, which led to the city inspecting the property and informing Gross that he lacked the proper permits, the Times reported.</p><div type="image" title="Mark Towfiq and wife Carol Nakahara" height="3472" width="4630" msid="79746730" hostid="261"></div><h2>Then, the music started. </h2><p>According to Bill Gross' testimony from Tuesday morning, the "Gilligan's Island" theme song has significance for the couple. </p><p>Gross, who owns a home in the China Cove Beach section of Newport Beach, testified that he was watching YouTube videos last summer and came across a video of the opening scene to "Gilligan's Island." He realized that the scene was filmed across from his house, and he has the same view as the lead character, SS Minnow, did in the show's opening scene. </p><p>After this realization, Gross said in court, the song became a favorite of his and Schwartz, who was "previously uncomfortable" at the China Cove Beach House, where Gross had lived <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/bill-gross-pimco-divorce-2018-7">with his ex-wife</a>. The song, in turn, made Gross and Schwartz "real happy." </p><p>When asked if he plays the song to harass his neighbors, he said, "I do not." </p><p>"We play music for our own enjoyment and benefit," he said, adding that he has over 120 playlists, including one with other TV theme songs. </p><h2>Schwartz previously said she loved the song but denied ever playing it loudly </h2><p>On Monday, Towfiq presented recordings at a court hearing in Santa Ana where the "Gilligan's Island" theme song can be heard playing in the background. </p><p>When presented with the recordings in court, Schwartz acknowledged loving the theme song but denied ever playing it loudly. </p><p>"'Gilligan's Island,' I love that song," Schwartz said. "But I already told you, I was sleeping. It might have been a mistake that the playlist played over."</p><p>She then questioned the accuracy of the recordings. "This is from his recording," she said. "I don't know what he's done to it. He could have enhanced it. I have no idea."</p><p>When asked if she and her husband played the song on a loop, she responded: "I don't know how to work a loop." And as to whether the music had played accidentally? Schwartz said her husband, Gross, is the one who "controls the audio and TVs." </p><p>As reported by Bloomberg, Schwartz's court statements <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-12-14/bill-gross-s-girlfriend-denies-playing-music-to-harass-neighbor?sref=BLKWHazc">contradict the testimony given last month</a> by a Laguna police officer and city official, who said the Grosses told them they would stop playing the music, but only if Towfiq dropped his complaint. </p><p>Both couples are seeking restraining orders, with Gross and Schwartz alleging in a lawsuit of their own that their neighbors are obsessed with them and have spied on them while they swim and pointed security cameras at their house, according to the Times. </p><p>Representatives for Gross directed Business Insider to the live stream of the court hearing for more information. Towfiq did not immediately respond to Business Insider's request for comment. </p><p>Gross has been involved in legal disputes in the past. In 2016, his ex-wife Sue Gross filed for divorce, which resulted in <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/bill-gross-pimco-divorce-2018-7">a high-profile and contentious legal battle</a> that stretched over the course of several years. And in 2014, after Gross was fired from <keyword id="142202" type="COMPANY" weightage="60" keywordseo="PIMCO">Pimco</keyword>, he sued for wrongful termination and breach of contract, resulting in <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-investing-gross-pimco/bill-gross-pimco-settle-lawsuit-over-his-exit-for-81-million-sources-idUSKBN16Y23C">an $81 million settlement</a> in 2017. </p>

Billionaire Bill Gross claims 'Gilligan's Island' theme has special meaning for him and his partner, wasn't played just to annoy neighbor

<ul class="summary-list"><li><keyword id="1817229" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="Steinway-Sons">Steinway &amp; Sons</keyword> has unveiled a limited edition deluxe custom <keyword id="24519" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="piano">piano</keyword>, designed by rocker <keyword id="92008" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="Lenny-Kravitz">Lenny Kravitz</keyword>, worth $500,000.</li><li>Only 10 of the pianos were made, with a portion of the proceeds going toward the Harlem School of the Arts.</li><li>Both Lenny Kravitz and Steinway CEO Ron Losby spoke to Business Insider about their collaboration.</li><li>Kravitz called it his "dream piano," inspired by African art and the Paris art scene of the 1920s, while Losby said other custom creations make this one a "real deal."</li><li>Other custom Steinway pianos have sold for well more than $2 million in recent years, such as the "King Arthur," the "Fibonacci," and "Pictures at an Exhibition."</li></ul><p>In the world of pianos, one name stands out at the high end of the market: Steinway &amp; Sons, the 167-year-old piano maker that the BBC deemed the "<a href="https://www.bbc.com/culture/article/20131022-piano-mania-grips-china">Rolls-Royce of pianos</a>" in 2014. </p><p>Steinway is best known for making grand concert pianos and for serving as luxe decor in the living rooms of the wealthy and the aspirational classes. And over the years, Steinway has participated in high-end piano commissions — and sometimes collaborations. This fall, Steinway collaborated with rock star Lenny Kravitz on a piano that ticks both of the above boxes: a state-of-the-art piano that serves as an ultra-luxe living room piece.</p><p>Only 10 Kravitz-Steinway pianos exist and they are priced at $500,000 each, with a portion of the proceeds going to the Harlem School of the Arts. </p><p>"I am proud to say that a portion of the Kravitz grand sales will go to the school to help with their mission, which is to level the playing field by empowering young people across the multi-cultural and socio-economic spectrum with access to the arts," Kravitz told Business Insider. </p><p>Steinway CEO Ron Losby told Business Insider that Kravitz was a natural partner for a piano collaboration since he grew up playing Steinway instruments, and he's also the founder of his own design firm, Kravitz Designs.</p><p>Losby said high-profile collaborations such as this one help the company stay relevant, adding that the company has done similar collaborations with actress Dakota Johnson, concert pianist Lang Lang, glass sculptor Dale Chihuly, and fashion designer Karl Lagerfeld. </p><p>In a sense, Losby said, the Kravitz piano is an emblem of why people continue to splurge on Steinway's products, and he and Kravitz took us inside the two-year making of this cutting-edge piano. Losby also revealed how, compared to other custom Steinway creations, this one is a relative bargain.</p><h2><strong>The Kravitz-Steinway piano took two years to make and costs $500,000</strong></h2><p>Kravitz called the collaboration his "dream piano," and said it was inspired by African art and the Paris art scene of the 1920s. </p><p>The legs are block-style, finished in black ebony; its top stick and its 40-pound pedal lyre are cast in solid bronze. </p><p>Each pedal, brass music tray, hinge, and plaque has its own custom finish. The piano keys are ebony and matte cream. And the bench is made with Macassar ebony and faux cheetah print. </p><div type="image" title="Steinway / Kravitz" height="2500" width="1667" msid="79496260" hostid="261"></div><p>"One of my favorite moments during the design process involved the hand-carved, block-style piano legs," Kravitz said, since he thinks piano legs are often overlooked and he and Steinway wanted to create something "unique. These legs really tie in the African motif and command attention with their unique shape and size but also in an understated way with the more traditional black ebony finish." </p><p>Losby said Steinway chose to work with Kravitz about three years ago — factoring in his design and musical background, they felt he could bring something "unique" to its piano portfolio. </p><p>"He created a piano that is unlike anything in our 167-year history," Losby said, addin that since Kravitz is a musician himself, he could personally relate to what was going to come out of this piano as far as its sound is concerned.</p><div type="image" title="Steinway / Kravitz" height="1500" width="2249" msid="79496261" hostid="261"></div><h2>The high end of high-end pianos</h2><p>Steinway caters to the highest end of the high-end market for grand pianos by creating custom pianos for wealthy individuals, and by releasing these limited-edition collaborations.</p><p>A <a href="https://www.wealthx.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Wealth-X_Billionaire-Census_2020.pdf">recent Wealth X-report</a> showed that art remains a top interest, passion, and hobby of billionaires, though the report did not break down particular categories. In 2018, <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2018/05/21/wealthx-billionaires-passions-include-sports-art-music.html">Wealth X</a> reported that pianos were tied for the most popular musical-instrument purchase by billionaires, alongside the guitar. </p><p>Losby said limited-edition items help pianos retain their value, adding that people feel more enticed to buy something if they know only a few in the world exist. </p><p>Many piano buyers out of China, The New York Times reported, have been requesting piano customizations such as diamonds and African wood, with one piano, called "Charm of the Dragon," <a href="https://www.bbc.com/culture/article/20131022-piano-mania-grips-china">selling for $1.1 million in 2013</a>. </p><p>That number pales in comparison to some recent customization requests, Losby recently told Insider.  </p><p>Losby said the company is now working with a firm that specializes in ornate gold and gilded designs, in order to create an embellished piano with gold crowns and a sword that lifts the lid. "We call it the King Arthur Piano," he said. "And it's worth $1.5 million." </p><div type="image" title="Pictures at an Exhibition" height="3065" width="4007" msid="79496263" hostid="261"></div><p>There's another one, <a href="https://www.steinway.com/news/press-releases/steinway-sons-marks-a-historic-milestone-with-the-unveiling-of-the-companys-600000th-piano/">called the "Fibonacci,"</a> that was sold to the owner of an apparel company for $2.4 million. </p><p>One of Steinway's most famous limited-edition pianos is called "<a href="https://www.steinway.com/pianos/steinway/limited-edition/pictures-at-an-exhibition">Pictures at an Exhibition</a>" and was hand-painted by visual artist Paul Wyse. The paintings were inspired by a musical composition by famous 19th-century Russian composer Modest Mussorgsky. That one <a href="https://www.steinway.com/news/press-releases/steinway-unveils-breathtaking-art-case-piano-celebrating-great-russian-composer-modest--mussorgsky">is worth $2.5 million</a>, according to Losby. </p><p>When you consider all the custom creations in Steinway's portfolio, Losby said, "the Kravitz piano is a real deal."</p>

Inside the highest end of high-end pianos, with classic brand Steinway & Sons and its newest collaborator, Lenny Kravitz

<ul class="summary-list"><li><a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/pete-ricketts-wealthy-family-us-senate-republicans-nebraska-2023-1">Billionaire Joe Ricketts </a>is building a luxury resort in Wyoming — to the dismay of some locals.</li><li>Ricketts' request to bypass wildlife protections was denied by Sublette County.</li></ul><p>As one local put it, if Bondurant, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/low-tax-states-new-business-startups-wyoming-delaware-montana-2024-6">Wyoming</a> — a town of wide open spaces and a population of 156, per the 2022 census — "is not heaven, it's in the same ZIP code."</p><p>"It's God's country," Joshua Coursey continued to Business Insider. He's the CEO and president of the Muley Fanatic Foundation, which is dedicated to protecting the native mule deer.</p><p>And in God's country, it looks like mule deer will remain protected.</p><p>In a plotline straight out of <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/yellowstone-timeline-of-controversy-criticism-conflict-kevin-costner-2023-4">Paramount's soapy western "Yellowstone,"</a> billionaire Joe Ricketts — the TD Ameritrade founder, part-owner of the Chicago Cubs, and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/which-billionaires-support-donald-trump-campaign">Donald Trump mega-donor</a> — got shut down by Sublette County, Wyoming, where he had requested the removal of a local restriction meant to protect moose, elk, and, yes, mule<strong> </strong>deer.</p><p>Earlier this spring, Ricketts, worth $4.1 billion, per Forbes, broke ground on the luxury Homestead Resort, which is set to feature a 20-unit hotel, underground spa, and restaurant. He calls it "Little Jackson Hole," though, in reality, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/most-unequal-place-america-jackson-wyoming-photos-2019-8">billionaire hot spot Jackson Hole</a> is in neighboring Teton County.</p><p>"If I advertise as Bondurant, well, nobody in Los Angeles and New York knows where it is," Ricketts, who bought land in the area 20 years ago, <a target="_blank" href="https://wyofile.com/ricketts-talks-billionaire-pitches-luxury-bondurant-resort-as-conservation/">said</a> at a public meeting last year, <strong>according to local news outlet WyoFile.</strong> "But if I advertise Little Jackson Hole, every angler knows where it is. Northwest Wyoming is a mecca for fishing trout."</p><p>(He's also <a target="_blank" href="https://www.joericketts.com/2020/08/21/the-history-of-little-jackson-hole-wyoming/">pointed to</a> the historical name of the area as a guiding principle for the name, though it doesn't seem <a target="_blank" href="https://cowboystatedaily.com/2024/03/30/some-in-tiny-bondurant-wyoming-worry-about-push-to-make-it-little-jackson-hole/">locals are buying it</a>.)</p><p>Part of his pitch was the conservation effort associated with the resort: Ricketts promised to make the 56 acres a safe place for moose, elk, and the like — and to use tourism dollars to ensure the land stays safe.</p><p>"We will open up corridors across my ranch during the migration season so that the ungulates can go through," he reportedly said at last year's meeting. "Now remember, I told you, we have to get tourists to pay for this stuff in order for it to be successful." (It's unclear if anyone at the meeting asked why he can't just pay for the corridors with his own money, as he has previously <a target="_blank" href="https://www.uwyo.edu/news/2023/02/uw-receives-major-gift-to-support-conservation-across-wyoming-with-initial-focus-on-greater-yellowstone-ecosystem.html">donated to the cause.</a>)</p><p>In order to get tourists there, he'd have to build a hotel — but according to the proposal by a representative for Ricketts at a town meeting last week, the best way to build a safe haven for the ungulates of the West would be to sidestep some of the rules protecting them, specifically, the one that prevents construction between November 15 and April 30. <strong>That's when the hoofed mammals migrate to find food and escape the harshest wintery conditions.</strong></p><p>The representative proposed that the wildlife protections be put on pause to allow construction to continue this fall and winter, with certain measures in place — such as a speed limit, no work once the sun had gone down, and maintaining a corridor in which the animals could <strong>move</strong>.</p><p>While the regional wildlife coordinator for Wyoming Game and Fish supported the proposal, Ricketts' neighbors were another story, the <a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/06/23/sublette-county-rejects-joe-ricketts-request-to-scrub-wildlife-rules-slowing-upscale-resort/">Nebraska Examiner said</a>.</p><p>"Does anybody in this room actually believe that after three years the construction is going to stop?" one local reportedly said, adding that Ricketts took the approach of "a used car salesman."</p><p>In the end, the <strong>irked</strong> pissed-off neighbors got their way: The Sublette County Commission voted 3 to 2 against Ricketts.</p><p>It was "much to the liking of everybody that understands and appreciates why those rules are in place and the importance of not having that disturbance on the landscape when those critters are most vulnerable," <strong>the Muley Fanatic Foundation's</strong> Coursey said.</p><p>Ricketts, whose representatives did not comment prior to publication, is joining a long tradition of billionaires upsetting a bunch of less-rich locals for any host of reasons — and often, the quarrels spin out into lawsuits.</p><p>Utah's richest man, tech <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/billionaire-cloudflare-ceos-lawsuit-over-neighbors-dogs-getting-wild-2024-4">billionaire Matthew Prince,</a> is currently embroiled in a legal battle with his Park City neighbors, who are trying to prevent him from constructing a modern megamansion above the city's historic town. (Prince has filed a lawsuit against two of his neighbors that revolves heavily around their Bernese mountain dogs and seemed to admit to <a target="_blank" href="https://www.thedailybeast.com/cloudflare-billionaire-matthew-prince-ignites-feud-over-park-city-mega-mansion">The Daily Beast</a> that it was retaliatory.)</p><p><a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/bill-gross-legal-battle-sculpture-gilligans-island-theme-song-2020-10">Bond investor Bill Gross</a> was sued in 2020 by his Laguna Beach, California, neighbor for, in part, blasting the "Gilligan's Island" theme song and installing a $1 million Dale Chihuly sculpture. Gross said the music was not an effort to purposefully annoy anyone, but a judge sided against him.</p><p>Meantime, since 2008, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/martins-beach-vinod-khosla-california-silicon-valley-tech-lawsuit-2020-1">VC billionaire Vinod Khosla</a> has been in some sort of legal back-and-forth after attempting to block the public from using his Bay Area property to access a neighboring beach.</p><p>This wasn't even the first time Ricketts, himself, has upset residents of the rural Wyoming county. His bid to rezone his land to build a hotel was shot down twice before being approved in 2021, and last year, a request to expand the size of the resort was denied.</p><p>"He's like a little boy, and he wants all the toys. That's what I kind of equate it to," one local told <a target="_blank" href="https://www.thedailybeast.com/joe-ricketts-new-luxury-resort-plan-pisses-off-his-bondurant-wyoming-neighbors">The Daily Beast</a> about Ricketts at the time.</p><p>Still, Coursey pointed out that the upheaval associated with building a resort like this in the relatively unspoiled landscape of Wyoming would <strong>always</strong> be a "tough pill to swallow" for locals. "That's just not something that's ever going to be well received, whether it was Mr. Ricketts or the next billionaire with a big dream and a big plan."</p><p>And in the end, Ricketts is getting his big dream and big plan — just not when he wants it. According to estimates at the town meeting, the hotel will now take six years to build, rather than three.</p>

Another billionaire is stirring up trouble with their neighbors, this time in rural Wyoming

<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"></div><p></p></div></div>Before last year, I was a Las Vegas virgin.</p><p>I had never walked the Strip, taken a ride on the New York New York roller coaster, or even gambled. The only things I knew about Vegas were what I had seen on TV.</p><p>I ended up having a blast:<span> It's impossible not to in Sin City</span>. But there were quite a few things I didn't realize about Vegas until I went.</p><p>And anyone who is a rookie at the upcoming <a href="http://www.saltconference.com/">SALT conference</a> - the Wall Street convention that kicks off at the Bellagio May 5 - should probably know these nine things before they pack their bags and hit the Strip for the first time.</p><h3>1. You can't walk everywhere</h3><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container"><div class="image on-image"></div><p></p></div><span style="color: #222222; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.5em;">All the hotels are much farther apart than they first appear. Technically, the entire Strip is over four miles long, and it will take you at least 15 or 30 minutes to walk from your hotel to a different one, though fortunately, the Bellagio is centrally located. Before the weekend is over, you will end up taking a few cabs.</span></p><p>But you should walk at least part of the Strip once. There are fun elevated walkways and outdoor elevators, not to mention plenty of photo opportunities. Just don't do it in 4-inch heels (better yet - leave those heels at home).</p><h3>2. You can take your drink to go</h3><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container"><div class="image on-image"></div><p></p></div><span style="color: #222222; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.5em;">Are you headed to another club or restaurant, but you're not quite finished with your drink? Ask for a to-go cup!</span></p><p>Seriously - even classy establishments will let you take your drink outside as long as you use a disposable cup instead of their fancy glassware.</p><p>Oh, and once outside, you can imbibe with impunity since Vegas lets you drink (almost) everywhere.</p><h3>3. Bring cash - ATMs are crazy expensive</h3><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container"><div class="image on-image"></div><p></p></div><span style="color: #222222; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.5em;">Unless you can find your own bank's ATM, the standard fee at most Vegas ATMs is a staggering $5.99 - a charge that may not bother the high rollers, but gets really old, really fast for most of us.</span></p><p>If I ever go to Vegas again, I'd bring plenty of cash.</p><h3>4. You can get free drinks by gambling</h3><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container"><div class="image on-image"></div><p></p></div><span style="color: #222222; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.5em;">There are a few things Vegas casinos do to keep you gambling (no clocks, no windows, and plenty of lights and sounds), but the trick that works the best is plying customers with free drinks to keep them playing, and playing poorly.</span></p><p>While I'm not much of gambler, my friend told me to go sit at the bars with the gaming machines built into the counter. You stick in a $20, order a drink, and make minor bets of $.25. I played until I had won all my money back and knocked back a few glasses of wine while I was at it.</p><p>Basically, you can just drink for free (but don't forget to tip your bartender).</p><h3>5. There's art all around</h3><p><span style="color: #222222; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.5em;"><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"></div><p></p></div></div>Most of us go to Vegas to gamble, drink, and party. But take a moment to realize there's art all around you on the Strip.</span></p><p>There are sculptures by famous artists behind the check-in desks, in the hotel lobbies, on the street, not to mention the fact that certain hotels like the <a href="https://www.bellagio.com/attractions/gallery-of-fine-art.aspx" target="_blank">Bellagio</a> and <a href="http://www.cosmopolitanlasvegas.com/experience/art.aspx" target="_blank">The Cosmopolitan</a> have their own galleries that display touring collections from around the world.</p><p>There's even the <a href="http://www.bellagio.com/restaurants/picasso.aspx" target="_blank">Picasso restaurant</a> in the Bellagio, which is filled with sculptures, drawings, and paintings by the late artist.</p><h3>6. Everyone smokes, everywhere</h3><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container"><div class="image on-image"></div><p></p></div><span style="color: #222222; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.5em;">In Vegas, it's permissible for people to smoke inside casinos. To try and counteract that, the casinos will attempt to cover up the smell with what they call "</span><a href="http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2010/jan/11/hes-behind-casinos-scent-science/" target="_blank">signature scents</a><span style="color: #222222; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.5em;">."</span></p><p>The smell isn't incredibly offensive (especially if you're in a nice hotel), but if you're sensitive to cigarette smoke, you may want to stay somewhere that is non-gaming, such as the <a href="http://www.trumphotelcollection.com/las-vegas/" target="_blank">Trump International Hotel</a>, <a href="http://www.signaturemgmgrand.com/" target="_blank">The Signature at the MGM Grand</a>, and <a href="http://www.vdara.com/" target="_blank">Vdara Hotel &amp; Spa</a>.</p><h3>7. The food is incredible</h3><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container"><div class="image on-image"></div><p></p></div><span style="color: #222222; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.5em;">Almost every single Vegas hotel restaurant on the strip was phenomenal. No one thinks of Vegas as a foodie city, but from sports bars to </span><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/dinner-at-jol-robuchon-in-las-vegas-2014-3">three-star Michelin establishments</a><span style="color: #222222; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.5em;">, Vegas delivers.</span></p><p>Many of these huge hotels have fantastic relationships with seafood and produce providers, and prepare their meat and make their breads in house. Personally, I'd make the trip again just for the food.</p><h3>8. Men must buy tickets (or bottles) to get into a club </h3><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container"><div class="image on-image"></div><p></p></div><span style="color: #222222; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.5em;">Vegas may be bachelor-party central, but no group of guys is going to get into a club without buying tickets, bottle service, or a table. Period.</span></p><p>I saw several groups of rejected men begging women to join their group to try and get in for free, but at the bigger clubs like XS, TAO, LAVO, and Marquee, that's just not going to happen.</p><p>Chip in together for bottle/table service, buy a ticket to a DJ show, or don't try to go to clubs. You'll just be disappointed.</p><p>Ladies, you probably won't pay for anything. Enjoy.</p><h3>9. Downtown Las Vegas is far away (but worth checking out)</h3><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container"><div class="image on-image"></div><p></p></div><span style="color: #222222; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.5em;">My friend who I traveled with was a seasoned Vegas veteran, but she had never been to downtown Vegas. Neither of us knew what to expect.</span></p><p>Turns out, it's nice to get away from the expensive strip and see a different side of the city. Plus, there's a <a href="http://themobmuseum.org/" target="_blank">Mob Museum</a>, you can see the remnants of Old Vegas before the Strip was built (there's still gambling, too), and you can try some kitschy establishments like the <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/the-heart-attack-grill-restaurant-tour-2014-3" target="_blank">Heart Attack Grill</a>.</p><p>It's worth seeing at least once, even though it is a $30 cab ride away.</p>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/clinics-iv-drips-treat-hangovers-2014-12">These Clinics In New York And Las Vegas Are Using IV Drips To Treat Hangovers</a></h3>        <div>            <div>        <div class="ooyala-video-player" data-video-autoplay="false" data-video-id="5zeGw0cjrS1Jwz_ull9VX97at0uB_mD8" data-player-variable="ooyalapopvideo" id="ooyalaplayer_popvideo" style="width:1280px;height:720px"></div>        </div>        </div>            </div>

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