Through its own long history, Bösendorfer has always worked to maintain a close proximity to the architects and designers who have furnished the forms which capture the Zeitgeist ("spirit of the time") in the many different eras and epochs where these pianos have appeared to provide the musical accompaniment to life.

In the 1860’s, a call went out from many of the piano builders of the day for new designs to be presented in the international showcase exhibitions which brought together artisans from all across the European landscape. For the Paris Exhibition of 1867, architect Anton Grosser devised his own contributions to this event—for which money was often no object—and presented these unique “instrument in the Greek style,” outfitted to the highest level of opulence with extensive inlay and Bronze ornamentation. This instrument took more than two years to build and left its builder “practically blind” according to his own words.

Ironically, when presented, this instrument proved itself to be beyond the spirit of its own age, and the official pricing office at the 1867 exhibition proved unable to determine an exact value for the instrument. Since that time, the piano has come to represent one of the most striking examples of an artwork invaluable in one age, and absolutely priceless in another.