John Lennon

Yamaha CP10 Electric Piano, serial number CP10 4211; [with:] JVC Stereo Cassette Recorder RC-M70JW, serial number 08571955; [also with:] a copy of a notarised letter of authenticity signed by Sam Green, May 2000 (3)

Sam Green; Gotta Have It, Rock and Roll auction, 8 May 2008, lot 40 

EQUIPMENT USED BY LENNON WHEN COMPOSING AND REFINING HIS FINAL MASTERPIECES. Lennon was inspired to produce Double Fantasy by a sailing trip to Bermuda in May 1980 which revitalised him after years of lethargy, and the album was recorded over a two week period the following August. In the midst of rehearsals, John spent time at the beach house belonging to his and Yoko's friend and business advisor, the art dealer Sam Green: 

"John must have been astonished when he entered this simple beach house and found it equipped with a piano and a Yamaha electric piano, like a recording studio. Sam had spent three years getting a phone installed, yet Yoko had wafted these instruments over the Great South Bay in just the last few days" (Albert Goldman, The Lives of John Lennon (1988), p.652).

Green recalled that the JVC recorder, a classic ghettoblaster of the period, was purchased by Lennon himself - probably his last ever such acquisition - and was used to record many of the original demos for the album.