<table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="0"><tr><td valign="top" style="font: inherit;"><div> Strange that you would mention "pulling the action", as that was what occurred to me next. (Though I don't remember recommending it.) <br /> The pre-1924 Ampicos had dowel-capstan type pushrods to impinge upon the undersides of the keys, while 1924 and later used hinged "flange-fingers", with a standard metal capstan atop. So the earlier ones can be identified by the small remaining screw holes (inside the action cavity, on the keybed toward he rear) adjacent to the slot that the player system worked through, which once held strips of wood down with 1/2" diameter felt-bushed holes for guiding the dowels. (Or, these long, perforated strips may still be present. ) But on the post-1923 examples, there was just a long slot (with no individually bushed holes) for the system's "flange-fingers" to operate through.<br /> I wouldn't recommend pulling the action just to verify who's right about this, but if it's out, anyway, this might help assuage your curiosity about the date of this thing's making.<br /><br />Thumpe</div></td></tr></table> <div id="_origMsg_"> <div style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif:font-size:10pt"> <br /> <div style="font-family:times new roman, new york, times, serif;font-size:12pt"> <font size="2" face="Tahoma"> <hr size="1"> <b> <span style="font-weight:bold;">From:</span> </b> Laura Olsen <ajoyfulsound@gmail.com>; <br> <b> <span style="font-weight:bold:">To:</span> </b> <pianotech@ptg.org>; <br> <b> <span style="font-weight:bold:">Subject:</span> </b> Re: [pianotech] Knabe <br> <b> <span style="font-weight:bold;">Sent:</span> </b> Sun, Nov 25, 2012 2:20:25 AM <br> </font> <br> <table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" style="font:inherit;">Thumpe,<div>I'll have to wait to get into the piano until next time.  I was tuning in the guy's office and only had a specific amount of time.  Not enough to pull the action.  The date was from the customer and he said "olive wood veneer" not pearwood.  I'll be back to it after the holidays.  I share your curiosity.<br><div> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse:separate;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:Helvetica;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:normal;letter-spacing:normal;line-height:normal;orphans:2;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;font-size:medium;"><div>Laura Olsen,RPT</div><div>847-277-0778</div><div><a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://www.ajoyfulsoundinc.com">www.ajoyfulsoundinc.com</a></div><div><br></div></span><br class="Apple-interchange-newline"> </div> <br><div><div>On Nov 22, 2012, at 7:51 PM, Euphonious Thumpe wrote:</div><br class="Apple-interchange-newline"><blockquote type="cite"><table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="0"><tbody><tr><td valign="top" style="font:inherit;"><div>Laura,<br> Not to "split hairs" (and this might not be well received by the owner, so please "proceed with caution") but:<br>A) It looks much more like walnut than pearwood. (At least in this indistinct photo.)<br>B) The early Ampicos, to the best of my knowledge, were all in very plain cases. (These "Art Cases" did not come into vogue until the 20's.) And 1914 would be a VERY early Ampico! (In fact, if I had to guess, I'd peg this example at 1926.) So, ummmmm, who said it was made in 1914? (The owner or the serial#?)<br> Last questions: Does the plate really fit the rim, or does the plate look like it would fit into a modern, continuous bent-rim case, but was used in this example with some woodwork to fill up the extra space? (And, for that matter, does the case have a hidden, modern, continuous rim beneath the "Florentine" exterior?)<br><br>Peace,<br> Thumpe<br><br>P.S. Non of these are "earth-shaking" mysteries! Just curious.......</div></td></tr></tbody></table> <div id="_origMsg_"> <div style="font-family:arial, helvetica,;"> <br> <div style="font-family:times new roman, new york, times, serif;font-size:12pt;"> <font size="2" face="Tahoma"> <hr size="1"> <b> <span style="font-weight:bold;">From:</span> </b> <a rel="nofollow" ymailto="mailto:JWyatt1492@aol.com" target="_blank" href="javascript:return">JWyatt1492@aol.com</a> <<a rel="nofollow" ymailto="mailto:JWyatt1492@aol.com" target="_blank" href="javascript:return">JWyatt1492@aol.com</a>>; <br> <b> <span style="">To:</span> </b> <<a rel="nofollow" ymailto="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org" target="_blank" href="javascript:return">pianotech@ptg.org</a>>; <br> <b> <span style="">Subject:</span> </b> Re: [pianotech] Knabe <br> <b> <span style="font-weight:bold;">Sent:</span> </b> Thu, Nov 22, 2012 3:27:18 AM <br> </font> <br> <table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" style="font:inherit;"><font id="role_document" color="#000000" size="2" face="Arial"> <div>Hello Laura,</div> <div> </div> <div>     It was called  " Coffin Corner"  Chickering used this style </div> <div>more than anyone else.   Their   Scale 109  A-B-C were very </div> <div>popular.  Later they left this style, rounded off the corner and</div> <div>changed the scale number the  116. These pianos were very</div> <div>large and wide.</div> <div> </div> <div>   Both the Fisher and Steck built similar  styles to this Knabe.</div> <div> Most were players but not all.</div> <div> </div> <div>   Jack  </div> <div> </div> <div> </div> <div> </div> <div> </div> <div> </div> <div> </div> <div> </div> <div> </div> <div> </div> <div> <div>In a message dated 11/21/2012 11:57:45 A.M. Central Standard Time, <a rel="nofollow" ymailto="mailto:ajoyfulsound@gmail.com" target="_blank" href="javascript:return">ajoyfulsound@gmail.com</a> writes:</div> <blockquote style="BORDER-LEFT:blue 2px solid;PADDING-LEFT:5px;MARGIN-LEFT:5px;"><font style="BACKGROUND-COLOR:transparent;" color="#000000" size="2" face="Arial">So, was this called a "coffin tail"?<br><br>I' guessing I shouldn't to this to A440. Can't find a serial number...yet. Art case 304 written on the plate. <br><br><br><span><photo.JPG></span></font></blockquote></div></font></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </div> </div> </div> </blockquote></div><br></div></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </div> </div> </div>