"Signing" a work of your artistic expertise is a time-worn tradition. As a restorer of clocks, I see this all the time. Past artisans leave their marks, scratched on the brass clock-plates, of the date and their initials. I find this very intriguing. The history recollected of dates from the early 1800's becomes part of the history of the clock....or piano. I realize that most of the pianos you all work on might not be considered historic, but some are. A pencil mark here and there are eagerly sought after by me and other historians and restorers. I don't like scratches on metal, but pencil on wood is fine. I once was working on a pipe organ, and after crawling on my back and loosening hundreds of screws to remedy one ciphering note, discovered a penciled notation of "fornicate!". Perhaps the guy couldn't quite bring himself to profane in a stronger verbiage, as this was a church! Anyway...what harm is it? I enjoy it. It makes life interesting! Berley A. Firmin II
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