Hi Jack, I got a call about this thing this afternoon, followed by an email. Are you interested? I haven't seen it, but I'll go look if it might be a worthwhile addition to the museum. Ron N > Dear Ron, It was good talking with you this morning. Glad I decided > to call the number listed in the Piano Technicians Guild web site > after not hearing back from my prior email to that link for you. The > piano sitting in my sister's Wichita house is the prototype piano > made by my father Ralph Wolfe in the 1950's. Dad owned and operated > the Wolfe Music Company at 817 W. Douglas, then moved to 901 W. > Douglas, a store on N. Market just north of Douglas, and another > store near Oliver, I believe Town East? Though nearly blind, Dad was > an inventive man who designed a piano soundboard capable of producing > the sound of a baby grand inside a spinet piano framework. Dad > worked with a local metal smith and a woodworker to build his first > piano. Dad called his invention the "Supersonic Consogrand". He > contracted with the Stark Piano company in Chicago to mass produce > pianos for him. I believe Dad was the only source for buying these > pianos. During his lifetime Dad sold about 1000 of these special > pianos. Between my sisters and myself I believe we have the > blueprints, a steel template for the soundboard, some photos, > newspaper ads, contracts, and communications between patent offices > and Stark. This piano has been sitting inside my sister's house for > the past 42 years. During the last 12 years of her life, Arlene was > wheelchair bound and not able to care for her home. Her husband was > in poor health too, and for the last 5 years of his life neither of > them could do much beyond visit doctors, and handle their basic > needs. Their house fell into serious disrepair, as did the contents. > John died in January and Arlene died in July of this year. I am the > court appointed administrator of Arlene's estate. As such, it is my > duty to liquidate the assets of her estate. The piano has some > serious defects which might cost considerable amount to restore. Bob > Bruner came to the house last September to give me his opinion and > estimate for repair and restoration. At that time he suggessted > between $600 - $1,000, and without a guarantee. There are cracks in > the wood behind the soundboard, cracks in the bridges, rust on the > tuning pins, and the felt pads are brittle. The piano frame is dirty > but otherwise in pretty good shape considering the environment it's > held these past years. My two older sisters and I all have pianos of > our own and don't need a second one. Thus, we'd like to find a new > home for this special piano. In our conversation you mentioned a > music museum in Kansas City that might be the recipient of the piano. > If that is a good possibility I'm certain I could persuade my sisters > to consider that option. The house in which the piano now sits is to > be sold and torn down to make way for a parking lot for the school > across the street. That action should take place within the next > 30-60 days. So, there is a timing element to this offer. Please let > me know what you learn from your discussion with Jack Wyatt. I can > be reached via this email address or via my home phone: 503-297-1483. > I look forward to hearing from you. > > YT, Corlene Blue corleneblue at comcast.net
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