painted artwork on piano plates.

[Richard Moody]

I will bet that the people employed to decorate the plates were either
sign painters, or painters of an almost lost craft called "trump d'oeil"  
  that is french for "fools the eye"  These are the artisians who do gold
leafing, and the intricate painting and decoration on the inside of
palaces, cathedrals, and state buildings. The black line motiffs were
undoubtably from sign pianters.  There are books of such decorations in
the library, under "sign painting" of course. : )

Richard Trump

----------
> From: Christopher D. Purdy <purdy@oak.cats.ohiou.edu>
> To: pianotech@ptg.org
> Subject: Re:  painted artwork on piano plates.
> Date: Sunday, August 30, 1998 5:55 PM
> 
> >In a message dated 8/30/98 1:41:51 PM, tempola@swbell.net wrote:
> >
> ><<employed a person whose job was to come by and
> >
> >'doodle" on piano plates!>>
> 
> I once had a square piano that's only redeeming quality was the painting
on
> the plate.  In addition to the pinstriping there was a beautiful rose
> painted in one corner and in another a very colorful bird.  Didn't I
read
> somewhere that Steinway once employed one or more full time wood carvers
to
> do legs?
> 
> chris
> 
> -Christopher D. Purdy R.P.T.   School of Music  Ohio University  Athens
OH
> 
> -purdy@oak.cats.ohiou.edu   (614) 593-1656    fax# (740) 593-1429
>