<html> <head> <style> .hmmessage P { margin:0px; padding:0px } body.hmmessage { FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY:Tahoma } </style> </head> <body class='hmmessage'> Aside from the current discussion about the Pierce Atlas I would like to give you a hint to the existance of an European Atlas. Of course it has its focus on European pianos, but it might be helpful for you, too. It´s called Atlas der Pianonummern, is written by jan Großbach and is edited by Edition Bochinksy. What I really like: there are not only the numbers of the instruments, but also the numbers of actions and key frames (keyboards, keys?). So, if you have a no name piano with a Langer action that has a number, you can say when it was built. Furthermore, it has a good collection of the decals of many brands with their graphical logo. Sometimes you have a piano without a written name but with a decal on its frame. With that atlas you can find out the name of the brand.<BR>  <BR> And for those of you who can read German: there is a pretty cool Lexikon Deutscher Klavierbauer. It has tons of information about the brands. Founded or dissolved in which year, who was chairman, decorated with which medals, adresses and so on......<BR>  <BR> Both books are available at German piano part supliers like Jahn, Baumgärtel, Meyne and probably Renner too.<BR>  <BR> Gregor<BR><br /><hr />Express yourself instantly with MSN Messenger! <a href='http://clk.atdmt.com/AVE/go/onm00200471ave/direct/01/' target='_new'>MSN Messenger</a></body> </html>