Antique Lever

[Joe & Penny Goss]

Hi Dick, 
Good one fella.  The quote is one that my father use to use when seeing a
very well endowed (center section) person. I now use it to draw attention
to my pet fetish, string leveling and my String Level-Level.
Joe

----------
> From: rbeaton <rbeaton@initco.net>
> To: pianotech@ptg.org
> Subject: Re: Antique Lever
> Date: Wednesday, July 22, 1998 11:20 AM
> 
> Joe & Penny
> I have given this some thought
> My bubble is in the middle and the snoose juice runs out of both corners
of
> my mouth at the same time...so I must be on the level.
> Dick
> 
> ----------
> > From: Joe & Penny Goss <imatunr@primenet.com>
> > To: pianotech@ptg.org
> > Subject: Re: Antique Lever
> > Date: Monday, July 20, 1998 6:02 PM
> > 
> > Hi, 
> >  Would you consider donating the hammer to the PTG. It might be of
> interest
> > to them to have for display.
> > Joe Goss 
> > 
> > You know your on the level if your bubble is in the middle.
> > 
> > ----------
> > > From: Les Smith <lessmith@buffnet.net>
> > > To: pianotech@ptg.org
> > > Subject: Re: Antique Lever
> > > Date: Monday, July 20, 1998 4:11 PM
> > > 
> > > 
> > > 
> > > On Tue, 14 Jul 1998, rbeaton wrote:
> > > 
> > > > Hi all...
> > > > I have a double-headed..wooden handle..extension lever that was
given
> > to me
> > > > years ago.  It is engraved "Made for AM Felt Co.  by J. Erlandsen 
> New
> > York
> > > >  Ser #468.
> > > > 
> > > > Any ideas on what this thing is worth or anything else of interest?
> > > > 
> > > > Dick RPT Helena, MT
> > > > 
> > > 
> > > Hi, Dick:
> > > 
> > > My advice would be to not yet give up your job as a piano tech in the
> > > hopes that you could sell your antique tuning lever for a huge amount
> > > of money and then retire in luxury for the rest of your life.
> > > 
> > > About thirty years ago, when on vacation, I bought an identical
tuning
> > > lever from an antique shop in upstate New York. It was part of a
pack-
> > > age deal. Also  included was a book--in excellent
condition--entitled:
> > > CLARK'S NEW METHOD FOR THE PIANOFORTE, which was dated 1876 and which
> > > featured a picture of a woman in a dress with a bustle, seated at a
> > > piano, illustrating proper posture and finger position. Throughout
the
> > > book an archaic, long-abandoned fingering is used, whereby the use of
 
> 
> > > the thumb is indicated by the letter "X" and the rest of the fingers
by
> > > 1,2,3 and 4. The number "5" is not used. 
> > > 
> > > While the book may be considered "interesting", it is totally useless
> > > as a teaching aid. Likewise, the old tuning lever with the double
head
> > > is merely a curiosity rather than a functional tool--unless, of
course,
> > > you routinely service pianos with oblong tuning pins, rusty strings,
> > > broken action parts, ivory keytops worn down to the key sticks, and
> > > great-looking rosewood cases. If so, don't forget that the extension
> > > rod of the lever, which is secured by a wing nut, can be pulled WAY
> OUT,
> > > thereby allowing you easier access to the tuning pins, which, of
> course,
> > > are not in the front of the piano, but in the back (Don't hit your
head
> > > on the lid, but remember to always charge EXTRA if you choose to re- 
 
> 
> > > move it-- always a great way to boost your per-service-call income!).
> > > 
> > > Actually, come to think of it, if you are really into historical
> tunings,
> > > such an antiquated tuning lever may be just what you need. To
complete
> > > the picture you can grow yourself some muttonchop whiskers; stop
> bathing;
> > > wear the same unwashed clothes and same shoes all week long; forget
> about
> > > little things like using soap, toothpaste and a deodorant; make your
> > > appointments in person because the telephone had not yet been
invented
> > > (The good thing is that afterwards the customer can't call you back
to
> > > complain about the quality of your work); and finally-- to complete
> this
> > > impressive picture of an "old-world" craftsman-- because the
automobile
> > > was as yet unknown, you can ride a horse to your tunings (don't
forget
> to
> > > add a shovel to your tool kit for emergencies).  Wow, that ought to
> > really
> > > impress your customers, huh?! Maybe using that old tuning lever isn't
> > > such a bad idea, after all.
> > > 
> > > Lastly, let's not forget value here. Thirty years ago I purchased the
> > > useless tuning lever and equally-useless piano book for their full
> anti-
> > > que collector's value of five bucks. Given the outrageous rate of in-
> > > flation since then, PLUS the great interest and activity in the col-
> > > lectible's market right now, I can only assume that tthe two have
> > > appreciated in value to the point where they are now worth at least a
> > > full five bucks today. Possibly less.  Maybe WAY less. In other
words,
> > > they have performed something like a stock market investment recom-
> > > mend by a unknown broker on a "cold call".
> > > 
> > > Les Smith
> > > lessmith@buffnet.net  
> > >