<!doctype html public "-//w3c//dtd html 4.0 transitional//en"> <html> Would love to see a pic. of this beauty!! Carl / Winnipeg Richard Brekne wrote: <blockquote TYPE=CITE>Just because its a birdcage doesnt mean its a POJ. Bluthner made some wonderful birdcages.. there is one in town I'd just die to get ahold of... but the owner wont sell.  She doesnt want to use it... doesnt want to keep it up... but doesnt want to part with it either.  Shame. Well made birdcages can be really nice instruments. IMHO nearly all older pianos are grossly undervalued... especially those that are still in decent shape as instruments. Especially especially those of those again that are still beautiful to look at. Cheers RicB Alan wrote: <blockquote TYPE=CITE>Today I was called to evaluate an old piano. It turned out the be one of the most beautiful pianos I've ever seen.It's a Collard & Collard overdamper with gorgeous walnut veneer. The body style suggests 1870-1900 but can't square the numbers with the Pierce Atlas. There are these letters/numbers beautifully handwritten on the harp: G12104 then, below that, 78 GS.It has a FULL metal frame and a decal on the fallboard that says "Metal Frame - Check Action Trichord" (Don't know what that last part is supposed to be. The action is wood framed but very sturdy, heavy wood framing.The case condition is excellent or better. The action is not worn out at all, except it needs new damper felts. The soundboard has minor cracks (the grain runs parallel to the floor).It is not overstrung and the straight vertical strings (less sidebearing?) may have helped preserve the bridges because I had to look hard to find even the tiniest beginning of an eyelash crack on one pin.I know birdcages are generally boo-booed and poo-pooed by people but this baby was very well built and has a lot of quality to it, beyond the furniture! But as to the furniture you should see the beautifully carved and cleverly designed fold-out/flip down music desk.I'd appreciate any comments, questions, thoughts, ideas, valuations, dating, etc., that you might care to share.BTW, the one thing I haven't been able to evaluate is the pinblock because the pins are small rectangular-head jobs that don't work with my hammer. I might have to buy an oblong-head hammer just to evaluate and/or tune this one piano! Alan R. BarnardSalem, MO --- Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. Checked by AVG anti-virus system (<a href="http://www.grisoft.com">http://www.grisoft.com</a>). Version: 6.0.525 / Virus Database: 322 - Release Date: 10/9/2003</blockquote> -- Richard Brekne RPT, N.P.T.F. UiB, Bergen, Norway <a href="mailto:rbrekne@broadpark.no">mailto:rbrekne@broadpark.no</a> <a href="http://home.broadpark.no/~rbrekne/ricmain.html">http://home.broadpark.no/~rbrekne/ricmain.html</a> <a href="http://www.hf.uib.no/grieg/personer/cv_RB.html">http://www.hf.uib.no/grieg/personer/cv_RB.html</a>  </blockquote> </html>