<div class="gmail_quote">On Fri, Oct 7, 2011 at 8:29 AM, Noah Frere <<a href="mailto:noahfrere@gmail.com">noahfrere@gmail.com</a>> wrote: <blockquote style="BORDER-LEFT: #ccc 1px solid; MARGIN: 0px 0px 0px 0.8ex; PADDING-LEFT: 1ex" class="gmail_quote">I told someone yesterday that the cut-off portion of an old Upright, where they added the mirror, did not degrade the structure of the piano. I still believe that, but I wanted to confirm it with others. She found this online, not I don't think to argue against my point, but just as an anecdote: "During World War 2, American piano manufacturers ceased production to assist in the war effort. Rationing made it impossible to build a piano during those years, so piano tuners and rebuilders saw a golden opportunity to keep up with the public's demands by introducing the "mirror piano". They simply took a large old upright, often a gutted player piano, cut a step-shelf along the top, and secured a mirror across the exposed back so that the piano had the appearance of being smaller or more modern. These "re-styled" pianos became very popular during the war, and unfortunately this trend continued for another 30 years. Hundreds of thousands of heirloom pianos were butchered during these years, and they are still commonly encountered. Because irreparable damage was done to the integrity of the instrument, mirror pianos are seldom worth more than a few hundred dollars at best." Are we all in agreement that the "irreparable damage" is cosmetic only? </blockquote></div> Very much so, in fact if you look through the decal catalogues you will find a decal for the "MirrApiano" a friend who worked for a local dealer recalls "modifing" old uprights in this fashion. There is no structural harm done to the piano just the cabinet is cut down in front, creating a shelf in front of the tuning pins. The theory is the piano looks smaller & more modern, remembering this was done in the '40's, '50's, & 60's, by the 70's it fell out of fashion. -- I think we are a product of all our experiences. <a href="http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/s/sanfordiw283095.html" target="_blank">Sanford I. Weill</a> Michael Magness Magness Piano Service 608-786-4404 <a href="http://www.ifixpianos.com/" target="_blank">www.IFixPianos.com</a> email <a href="mailto:mike@ifixpianos.com" target="_blank">mike@ifixpianos.com</a>