Husband's $1.5 Million Legal Battle to Keep Grand Piano

A millionaire American business man has won a $1,500,000 High Court legal battle with his fifth wife to keep custody of the family's Steinway piano.

Richard Fields, 59, and his estranged wife Ekaterina Fields, 42, could not agree on divorce custody of the baby grand instrument, valued at approximately US $80,000-100,000 - which was housed in the couple's New York City penthouse, the London court was told.

The court heard Mr Fields could not play the piano at all and Ms Fields, an ex-model was an “amateur pianist” but “could not manage a Beethoven Sonata.”

Presiding Judge Justice Holman, after 2 days of evidence, awarded the piano to Mr Fields – as he had purchased the instrument prior to the couple's nuptials in 2002.

Mr Fields lost his first baby grand following divorce number three, his barrister had indicated.

It is understood the two year dispute has cost the former couple, who were married for 10 years and have 2 children, more than £1,000,000 (US $1,560,000) in legal fees.