"I simply do not have room": Phil Collins’ ex-wife to auction off a collection of the couple’s personal items, including the family Yamaha piano that the star used to teach their son to play
It's a case of 'no piano required', as Orianne Collins says that she "recently downsized homes"
The Kodner Auction Gallery has announced the upcoming sale of the Phil & Orianne Collins Collection, a trove of the couple’s personal items that includes the former Genesis star’s “personal” Yamaha grand piano.
Phil Collins married Orianne Cevey in 1999, but they divorced in 2006. They reconciled in 2016, before parting for good in October 2020.
Orianne Collins previously auctioned off some of the couple’s possessions in 2021. Speaking to The New York Post, she says of the latest sale: "It pains me to part with these cherished items, but I recently downsized homes and simply do not have room for many of the items. Furthermore, this auction will allow me to donate a large portion of proceeds to the ‘Never Give Up Foundation,’ which fills in the gaps needed to build a more inclusive future for those with disabilities like Spinal Muscular Atrophy.”
For musicians, the highlight of the collection is undoubtedly the Yamaha grand piano - which we believed to be a C3X - which Orianne Collins describes as “our family piano, where he taught our son Nicholas to play.” Nicholas would eventually go on to become an accomplished drummer, playing with his father on stage on his ‘Not Dead Yet’ tour, and with Genesis on their farewell ‘The Last Domino’ tour.
The piano is expected to fetch between $50,000 and $100,000, while another musical item - a vintage Wurlitzer jukebox that was given to the Collins’ by Phil’s manager as a wedding gift - could also go for a tidy sum.
The Phil & Orianne Collins Collection auction will take place on 6 December. Prior to that, a pre-bidding period will begin on 24 November to allow interested parties to explore and bid for the items on sale.
Find out more on the Kodner Auction Gallery website.
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I’m the Deputy Editor of MusicRadar, having worked on the site since its launch in 2007. I previously spent eight years working on our sister magazine, Computer Music. I’ve been playing the piano, gigging in bands and failing to finish tracks at home for more than 30 years, 24 of which I’ve also spent writing about music and the ever-changing technology used to make it.