Chickering quarter grand for next to nothing.

[Richard Brekne]

Hi folks...

Just got back from a very strange garden sale today. Actually it was 
arranged at a local school.  45 minutes before closing I got a telefon 
call from a friend who'd been there asking if I was interested in buying 
a grand piano for about 400 USD.  3000 NOK to be precise.  I asked what 
it was and the fellow said something about a little chicken piano.  I 
asked if it was Chickering and he said he thought that was the name.  He 
said there was a bid of 1000 kroner on it and they wouldnt sell it for 
less then three thousand so if I wanted it I could have it for that.

So I go down there and sure enough... here is this Chickering quarter 
grand sitting there.  Pretty beat up but soundboard still intact and 
with minor work the action could be playable.  There was this sheet of 
paper taped on it with the bids so far along with the telefon numbers of 
the person making the bids.  One bid was for 0 kroner.. several were for 
300- 400 and a couple around 800.

I bought the thing of course.  It needs to be refinished, needs lots of 
action work, and there is one very hairline crack in the soundboard, 
which otherwise sounds actually quite lively for what I could discern 
given its condition.

Cheers
RicB