Faux S&S

[Porritt, David]

OK Jon:

I've kept this email in my box for over a month.  Tell us the rest of
this counterfeit Steinway story.  I've seen plenty of counterfeits here
but most have had "Baldwin" or "Chickering" names attached.  Those names
are recognizable by Paula Pianobuyer but their scales are not as
recognizable as Steinway. 

Have you found any more information on this one?

dave

_______________________
David M. Porritt, RPT
dporritt at smu.edu

-----Original Message-----
From: pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org] On
Behalf Of Jon Page
Sent: Tuesday, May 22, 2007 10:45 PM
To: pianotech at ptg.org
Subject: Faux S&S

Came across my first fraud today. New S&S decal on the orange-peel
finish,
and 2 thick repros of the logos on the plate, stood up about a half inch
with
puttied bevels. There was a new S&S decal on the sb as well.

My first choices are either a Steinert or Hume since the plates are
somewhat
similar.  It had a WN&G action.  The sostenuto rod supports are similar
to M&H
but no spider underneath. If I can chisel off the treble onlay there
might
be some casting left of the original.

They paid $20K from a local deeler. Now, I don't want to call the guy an
outright crook but how could someone who's been in the business
for many years not recognize the fake?  Really now, I know for what he
knows about pianos he might as well be selling TV's and toasters but
this is stretching one's credibility on ignorance. Either way, it
doesn't
look good for him.

Needless to say, the retired couple is besides themselves and can't deal
with it now because they're off to visit a very sick relative, in a 
few months they said.

I took some pictures with their digital camera and they'll send them to
me
as soon as they figure out how.
-- 

Regards,

Jon Page