November 1949

Margaret Truman, a (not very successful) opera singer and the only daughter of President Harry Truman, makes a bit of a public show by abandoning Steinway & Sons as her exclusive piano, and choosing a Baldwin instead. The Baldwin Piano Company promptly reacts by giving an “American” grand piano to the White House (as opposed to the “German” Steinway & Sons). Additionally, President Harry Truman himself casually mentions during one of his TV interviews, that he “never could stand that ugly Steinway piano, with its great big ugly eagle legs”.