Both men focused on the same handful of Deco masters, including Ruhlmann and Gray, so the Greenberg sale could offer a fresh test of their asking prices.
Made from macassar ebony and American walnut and accented with gilt bronze and ivory, Ruhlmann first displayed the style at the landmark 1925 Paris art deco exposition.
Aboard the Normandie, the piano now up for sale occupied the ladies' drawing room and music room, which was decorated with Ruhlmann's furniture in tribute to the French designer, who died in 1933.
French designer Ruhlmann (1879-1933) was known for using ivory and rare woods like Macassar ebony to make pieces with streamlined shapes and simple curves a departure from the ornate, florid carvings of the Art Nouveau style that predated him.