Piantor Travel Case

Whats more vintage and luxurious than a keyboard made of good old brass?

Yes such a keyboard with a vintage case made of wood with a velvet inlay and (fake) leather coating.

But what makes this one special is not so much the material itself. Its how its been done, the process to get there and the intentions behind it.

Idea

I believe there is some value in creating enjoyable everyday objects. Not so much because you can show them around like status symbols. Also the sustainability rating might not be greater if counting the bare material and effort put in. Although it is the intent to keep this setup for the decades to come.

But isn't it the little things that make us happy? Then how about putting joy in the things we have to use daily?

Unfortunately many daily objects have become very boring. We know they have been made in the millions, they are cheap, they don't last long anyway. "They make new ones every day". Its one of the slogans I have grown up with, and I don't like it.

Not so much this case. Its custom made for the custom made keyboard. Not just custom made, but handcrafted by the incredible Bergner Etuibau. A company knowing its craft, doing its thing in a way and on a pace with longevity in mind.

The making

This is not the company where you buy things online and have it delivered the next day. I was asking for a case to be made in spring 25. At first they wanted to reject it, saying they don't have the time and that this is not the usual thing they do and are good at. Insisting and making clear that I have time to wait and the will to collaborate, payed off.

Since there are CAD drawings of the board, I thought in all naivety, that this is enough, and that all I have to do is construct the surroundings. But no, handcrafted means hand crafted. So I did how the violinist and flutists do. A hand drawing of the surrounding shape of the keyboard with the levels of depth. Sending that by post mail and later communicating the details like inlay etc. went very smooth and friendly.

And here it is; its big, its clunky, but it protects what I like, its perfect to the details and: Doesn't it look wonderful?

I know many people are not as blessed and can't even afford a computer. So yes I am very thankful to be able to enjoy such things on a daily basis.