<HTML><BODY STYLE="font:10pt verdana; border:none;"><DIV>I am not shure= if we actually know exactly who first came up with the concept of 'overs= tringing.' But based on the US pattent record, there are a few misconsept= ions that can be cleared up.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Steinway was th= e first to patent overstringing for the modern grand piano. This fact is = less significant when you understand that overstringing had been used for= a long time in square and upright pianos (at least 60 years). This is al= l in the context of the iron frame. The actual concept seems to have prec= eeded the US patent record, and was problably used first on wooden frames= . If there is such documentation, one would probably look for something p= re 1800s.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>I am unaware of the 1828 Babcock r= eference, but I do know that the 'famous' 12/17/1825 patent was not overs= trung. Its significance seems to have been the first single piece iron fr= ame. All the information for this patent is missing, only the picture rem= ains. Many asumptions have been based entirly on a picture, since the act= ual description from the inventor is completly missing.</DIV> <DIV> = </DIV> <DIV>Bradley M. Snook<BR></DIV></BODY></HTML>