I've always been interested in the many different styles. The ones I know I can identify are spade, tulip, ice cream cone, Tiffany, Louis XV and Chippendale. Some others I'm not sure about in terms of identification are fireplug, flower pot(?), and the kind of legs that are typically on the Serpentine rosewood concert grands from the 1870's.

Can someone help me out with pictures of fireplug and flower pot?

Is there a name for the very elaborate legs on the Serpentine Rosewood grands from the 1870's?

Are there some old style legs I haven't included?

Thanks.

I have seen pics of piano legs in the form of Atlas shouldering the case, elephants, etc. Not sure whether the pianos are S&S but they may have done such specials for $.

I'm interested in their "standard" legs designs as opposed to ones for art case models.

Any leg pictures available from pianosxxi or other rebuilders?

Steinway Art Cases have, had or done
Steinway Louie XV
http://www.pianoworld.com/Uploads/files/SteinwaypicsJapan014.jpg
Rare Early American Steinway S
http://www.pianoworld.com/Uploads/files/DSC00011.JPG
http://www.pianoworld.com/Uploads/files/DSC00008.JPG
Steinway A and B Tulip leg
http://www.pianoworld.com/Uploads/files/AIISteinwaytuliplegs010.jpg
http://www.pianoworld.com/Uploads/files/1960BechsteinCSteinwayBartcase028.jpg
Steinway A Ice cream cone legs
http://www.pianoworld.com/Uploads/files/VictorianartcaseA2andSteinwayB006.jpg
Steinway M Chippendale
http://www.pianoworld.com/Uploads/files/AIISteinwaytuliplegs003.jpg
http://www.pianoworld.com/Uploads/files/AIISteinwaytuliplegs029.jpg
Will upload all the Steinway legs later,flowerpot,elephant,fireplug,Bicentenial deco,(alternate computer)if someone else hasn't done so.Done them all.

1901 Steinway "A"

Same legs stripped, the grain is fake and has to be re-grained when refinished.


1885 Steinway "A"



1870's Steinway



1899 Steinway "D"


1892 Steinway "A"


Hamburg "A" to be coming in February 09

Rod - I've seen those pics of the "A" that you restored (looks incredible, I might add), which has much the same case as my 1906 "B" - but it looks like the legs are slightly different at the top - yours have a blank spot between the scrollwork at the top, mine have a seashell-type carving, which I've seen before... Interesting to see them stripped of finish, too, since mine are un-refinished and have faded to a different color than the mahogany veneer on the rest of the piano.

Thanks Rod and pianoboroker for the pix.

Rod- Is there any name for the leg styles shown in your last four photos?

Tmoose, great legs!!!

I use the same terms as you do. Fireplug, Tulip. serpentine. Most of the time I just say Victorian for the round type legs pictured.
It covers most styles.

Tmoose,

I have this 1900 Steinway "B" coming in in March.
We are not refinishing it. We are installing new keys and complete action and redoing the belly.
The piano was refinished 20 years ago and looks O.K. not perfect.

Your more than welcome to check it out when it is completed.

The pictures were very dark when I took them so I photoshopped them to see the detail of the carving on the legs. They are similar to yours.

Thanks Rod, that looks like the exact same case and leg design as mine, though the music desk is different. I'd like very much to have a look at it sometime - good excuse to schedule a trip to Vancouver!

I believe Rod's black ice cream cone leg A is a Hamburg piano with a different headstock as you mentioned.If you look closely at your cone,you will also notice there are two different versions of the cone(my ebony A).One you can put two scoops in the rather than one.

I'm also doing an model "A" right now that has the music desk of the above "B" but the legs of the model "A" in my first post with the new board standing on end.


I'd be happy to show you around.

I am curious, did S & S ever make a ferule grand piano leg? I remember as a kid being able to tell the difference between Baldwin and Steinway just by looking at the spade or ferule legs. Then I discovered Mason-Hamlin which also has them as other Aeoline grands seem to have at the time?? The Asian pianos ever become interested in them? I don't think I have ever seen a Yamaha or Kawai with ferule legs. Just an observation.

Thanks. I guess I erroneously always thought "serpentine" was a kind of rosewood because I had only seen it used in the context of "serpentine rosewood".

What is the difference between fireplug and flowerpot? Anyone have pictures(the easiest way to explain it)?

Tmoose: I think you have a particularly beautiful piano in terms of finish and leg/music desk/arm style. I think I've usually seen the desk and arm style on your piano with tulip style legs. Can anyone verify if that is often the case?

Is there a name for the leg style of your piano?

I've only heard it referred to as 'Victorian' - maybe Rod would know more than I....

I have seen the style of desk on tmoose Steinway "B" on many other cabinets.
I have seen it on many plain cabinet Steinway "O"s and different style Victorian cabinets.

Here is a plain "O" with the same desk.



Here is a model "A" you can also see the Steinway on the left has the same desk. The one on the left was a model "O"



Here is a example of a tulip leg. Please note this is not my picture.

We've done some Steinway B(s) with flowerpot legs but don't have any pics of my own.
http://www.pianoworld.com/Uploads/files/Steinway_B_flowerpot_14.jpg

That music rack is on every spade leg and some art case Steinway O,A,B and ? from 1897ish to maybe 1911ish depending on the Steinway model before evolving to the modern 380 sketch case(spade legs)with the squared off case arms and fallboard. The newer case no longer had the halfround double molding on the case.

The only Steinway grand leg with a brass ferrule is the rounded leg contemporary centenial model M with the solid brass lyre.Will post pic later of a mahogany one in my showroom. Done a few restorations in ebony over the years.
http://www.pianoworld.com/Uploads/files/SteinwayMMahog&CentenialM013.jpg
http://www.pianoworld.com/Uploads/files/SteinwayMMahog&CentenialM017.jpg

PB, Those were from the 1950's, correct? They also had no casters.

Correct! The one I have at present does have caster inserts though you are right I have had them with no casters (longer legs)You can't take the casters on or off due to the pedal lyre. STRANGE! Someone told me they made them for boats.

originally posted by PIANOLOVERUS Steinway use a lot of different leg designs, besides all of which you have mentioned: flower pot, tulip, etc. Steinway also did a lot of contemporary leg designs for the piano. They consult many artisans who help them with a design concept of the legs and of course case of the piano.

To identify all these designs, you should contact Steinway archives directly. They got many brochures and catalogue of all of their art case pianos available for reference.
After viewing all the images posted here, this only give you a general idea of what a fireplug, flower pot, tulip, elephant, etc legs would look like.

In order to get as close as possible to the real classification of the Steinway style leg design, you have to deal with authentic and legitimate sources. It may be not so easy.
In my personal experience, 95% of legs on art case Steinway pianos are not original.




For instance, if you look at this picture carefully, you might identify this leg to be a tulip style leg. But if you have professional experience, you will look at this leg and examine it closely, you will see how grotesque[/b] it looks with the case. This image shows that the leg has no relation with original piano case. If you look even more closely to the lines and the combination of style, the leg is obviously mismatched.

My advice is to try calling Steinway archives or contact a restoration company who handle these type of issues.

POPQUIZ ?: What type of Steinway leg belong to this piano case?

Best regards!

I'm not sure I see anything 'grotesque' about it...

As I mentioned previously, it is not an easy task for some people to identify the beauty and perfection of authentic Steinway leg and case design.

originally posted by Tmoose:
This is the perfect example where one struggles to identify that the image shows a different style leg that does not belong to the case of the piano.[/b]

Hello,

I have a question about the piano identified as 'Early American Steinway S':

[QUOTE]Originally posted by pianobroker:
[QB] Steinway Art Cases have, had or done

...

Rare Early American Steinway S http://www.pianoworld.com/Uploads/files/DSC00011.JPG
http://www.pianoworld.com/Uploads/files/DSC00008.JPG

...

We have this exact piano (as far as I can tell from the pics). It has the same legs, lyre-shaped pedal column, color, ivory nameplate, etc. But the number on the harp starts with an "M", so I figured that was the model type. The serial is 275,255, so I'm placing it at about 1932. It was purchased in upstate New York around that time, not sure whether it was purchased new or used.

Can you point me to any additional information about this piano? It doesn't seem very common because I've had a tough time finding out anything about it -- until I ran across these pictures!

Thank you,
Andrew

It is a very rare case design.Having had hundreds of Steinway grands over the years this is the only one I've ever had like this. In the old vintage Steinway catalog they have this exact leg/music desk design but only on a console.They classify it as "Early American" Notice the ivory nameplate on the fallboard.I believe it was somewhat of a special order/limited production mdl.You can always call Steinway archives.Good luck!

Can someone who is familiar with Steinways tell me something about this old Steinway that I own? According to the serial number it was made in 1904. In looking through many photos of Steinways I have not seen any with legs like this so I am wondering if these legs were taken from another piano? Any info anyone knowledgable can give me will be greatly appreciated. Thanks, Karine

Karine,I got your emailed pic of your piano.Having had many Victorian art case Steinway pianos,I gotta say,I've never had that one.I've had the single leg version which I refer to as the "Egyptian leg" which I've only had 1.It's looks all original though to be honest the legs,lyre and music rack look a bit disjunct especially the music rack which looks more "Chippendale" or "Early American".Also the one I had did not have the harp shaped lyre. Also usually the double leg Steinways were player pianos though this one doesn't appear to be the case visually from the top end. Looks to be all original but maybe not.One should check for matching part # on the parts.

http://www.pianoworld.com/Uploads/files/1904%20Steinway[1].JPG