<html> Dale, I'm not positive if this applies to Steinway pianos that far back, but generally the Hamburg pianos have curved case arms at the front, and a rounded fallboard lip.  NY pianos are squared off. Maybe the real Steinway experts will correct me if this doesn't apply that far back. Don Mannino RPT At 12:18 PM 1/31/01 -0600, you wrote: <blockquote type=cite class=cite cite>List, A customer inquired about a piano I have not seen. It is supposed to be a 1912 Hamburg Steinway but the plate says New York. She was told (by the dealer) that the New York factory made plates for Hamburg at that time. The dealer claims to know that it is a Hamburg by the vertical grain direction of the case veneer. He says New York ran the veneer grain horizontal. Anyone confirm or deny his claims? Thanks, Dale Dale Probst, RPT Member, TEAM2001 PTG Annual Convention Reno, NV --July 11-15, 2001 email: wardprobst@cst.net (940)691-3682 voice (940) 691-6843 fax TEAM2001 website: <a href="http://www.ptg.org/conv.htm" eudora="autourl">http://www.ptg.org/conv.htm</a></blockquote></html>