I've seen quite a few pictures like this one:

http://www.pianomart.com/ViewAds.aspx?type=1&manufacturer=76&piano=8365

It looks to me like the lid is raised more than normal. I thought tha usually the lid stick is perpendicular to the lid and it doesn't look this way to me.

Is this just the angle of the photo or??

The description of the case is quite hilarious:
The case with egg and dart molding, foliate scalloped, scrolled, rosette corners, acanthus-carved cabriole legs ending in scrolled toes, with a conforming bench.

That looks okay to me.

But I've seen non-perpendicular prop sticks: pianos that have two (of different heights) also have two separate holes on the lid. If the wrong one is used, it looks quite wonky.

Steven

Looks fine to me. What makes me go , though is when the long stick is placed in the short stick's hole, as sotto voce mentioned. Or when people raise the lid with out first opening the flylid, like in the advertisement you quoted.

You got a good eye, Horowitzian. I didn't even notice the flylid. It seems like that would put such unnecessary stress on the "piano hinge."

Steven

I saw a photo awhile back where the person had put the short "singer" prop stick into the the hole for the regular prop stick. Now THAT looked really weird! Plus, can you imagine all of the extra stress of the short prop being so widely angled like that?!

My Knabe piano does not have a shorter stick.

I do not think 19th century pianos have them.

This might be a good time to repeat the safety issue.

If the lid prop is in the wrong hole the lid will be held less securely and will be more likely to accidentally slam shut when the piano is bumped, perhaps on a kids fingers.

This is a good question and worthy of discussion. I learned by trial and error (luckily no harm done) that it does matter what socket the short or long prop goes in. When the lid is propped open, (short or long stick) the angle of the stick and lid should be a perfect 90 degree angle for best safety.

The piano in the photo looks like it is propped open properly with a true 90 degree angle where the upper part of the stick meets the lid. Naturally, the lid is open much higher with the tall prop.

Best regards,

Rickster

I've never heard the term "flylid", but agree that the real issue with this photo is that the flylid is not folded back.

That is a fairly strong pet peeve of mine!

Whenever I see a photo like this it makes me think the photo was 'staged' by a non-piano-playing photographer. :rolleyes:

O.K. Which part of the piano is the flylid.? Gaby Tu

I passed on purchasing this piano a few months back. The only reason the individual didn't fold back the flylid(front rectangular part of the lid was so persons could see the carved molding along the front edge of the flylid and lockbar which could have been done with another pic. The double propstick was not stock as for Steinways till the thirties.

I think you figured out the problem. In this picture and quite a few others I've seen like it, the unopened flylid is what made it look somehow wrong to me (but I never noticed the real reason).

For some reason I can't see this picture. However, what really annoys me is to see a picture of a piano with the main part of the lid closed, but the flylid propped open on the music desk. I have seen several pianos advertised on ebay on this way.

I just now noticed the price in the ad pianoloverus
mentioned. $225,000!!!????

You've got to be kidding me. Its not even a concert grand! I very seldom see an artcase I actually like, and this one's no exception.

Well, the wood itself is gorgeous, but all the other gewgaws are hideous, IMHO. I'd rather buy two new Steinway D's (one Hamburg and one NY!!) if I had that kind of money.