Just after the last war I worked for a small company in the UK who had submitted a piano during the 1930's for a contest the British Broadcasting Corporation held for gaining a contract to supply their pianos. Challen won, the requirements being for a seven foot grand. Robert Morley, the company I worked for came second and had kept their piano. It had thin ribs on the top surface of the soundboard, which was of course, sandwiched between opposite ribs on the underside. It was a very beautiful sounding instrument. They had changed the bass strings five times before being satisfied. Another idea had a long bridge shaped like the bridge under the soundboard; Grotian Steinweg did this, and Danemann copied it in England. I only ever saw one Charles Frederick Stein grand, and it was a very fine sounding instrument. I met him on a few occasions at ASPT conventions. His company was a casualty of the great depresion, but I was told he eventually paid every one of his creditors in full. A fine man, and much respected. Ted Sambell
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