Liberace’s Rhinestone Piano Suit Over Contract Claims Revived

A dispute over ownership of a rhinestone-studded piano once used by the now-deceased entertainer Liberace was improperly dismissed by the trial court, the First Circuit said.

Gibson Foundation Inc., a charitable arm of Gibson Brands Inc. based in Massachusetts, sued the Tennessee-based piano retailer The Piano Mill Group LLC, alleging claims of breach of a warehousing agreement, breach of bailment, and conversion under Tennesee law when the piano retailer allegedly refused to return a piano Liberace used. The case was transferred from a district court in Tennessee to one in Massachusetts, and Gibson amended its complaint.

Applying Massachusetts law, issues ...