<HTML>In a message dated 9/2/01 12:48:33 PM Central Daylight Time, pianolover88@hotmail.com (pianolover 88) writes: <BLOCKQUOTE TYPE=CITE style="BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff 2px solid; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px">I looked at a S&S full upright, circa 1879. Overall not too bad looking, but in desperate need of new hammers and an action overhaul. strings & keytops replaced at some point. structurally seems ok. Case fair. Asking price: $600. Not a whole lot of buyers for this BIG, old Piano. even if it IS a Steinway. (Those dreaded DOUBLE flanges and all!) </BLOCKQUOTE> Coincidentally, the last job I did on Friday was to appraise and assess an 1877 Steinway Vertical.  It's action was completely stuck with verdigris, far beyond any hope for Protek treatment and had cheap looking plastic keytops and new bridle straps affixed with a hot glue gun. It's soundboard was nearly flawless and the bridges were perfect.  The tuning pins in the open faced pinblock were still firm.  The finish was dark and wrinkled. This is one old piano that I think could be restrung, have new action parts installed, keys restored with better methods and higher grade materials, have a good quality refinishing job but not have to replace the soundboard, bridges & pinblock. I wrote up my findings and forwarded them to the rebuilder, declining to give an estimate of its present value and what it would cost to restore.  Any ideas out there?  I left that up to the rebuilder. Somehow, I think these people who live in a nice home thought it would be worth $50,000 and would maybe cost as much as $500 to "make it nice" again.   They were very concerned above all else about preserving the valuable decal on the fallboard.  They didn't think a modern, "imitation" one would be appropriate, it might ruin the true "antique" value. It was now 5 PM.  Quittin' time! Bill Bremmer RPT Madison, Wisconsin</HTML>