Hi Roger, This sounds like a nice piano. We rebuilt a 33B of about the same size and age, straight strung amd with about the same action. The action is probably an Edwin Brown action, Conrad Hoffsommer estimates its use from 1843 to ca. 1890, as an option in the later years - but I'm not familiar with any grands with the flat wood plates you mentioned. Normally there is a kind of oversized, flat drop screw to adjust the hammer line, but older squares have plates. Did you replace the hammers or strings? The action won't work with heavy hammers, and the bass strings rarely corrode Chickering retained agraffes in various guises for some time; often treble hammers have nearly all of their felt removed from the bottom sides for clearance. Likewise, I think Chickering retained straight stringing as an option in grands for some time, though they introduced overstringing in squares fairly early on. Straight strung Chickerings with Brown actions are my favorites. Clark
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