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Joined: Jun 2010
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OP
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Last night at a jazz concert at a church in Ithaca there was a 5' Knabe grand that had two legs where every grand that I have ever seen has one. The sponsor of the event thought the Knabe was built in the 1950's. It looked older that that and it had the same reference to Baltimore on the plate that mine has. Looking around on the web I found a picture that looks like what I saw last night: https://www.box.com/s/ef59344d09619652ed7dDoes anyone know when Knabe made six legged pianos?
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Joined: May 2001
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Most 6-legged pianos had player systems that have often been removed.
The leg provided extra weight distribution for the added weight of the player which was considerable.
Piano Industry Consultant
Co-author (with Larry Fine) of Practical Piano Valuation
www.jasonsmc@msn.com
Contributing Editor & Consultant - Acoustic & Digital Piano Buyer
Retired owned of Jasons Music Center
Maryland/DC/No. VA
Family Owned and Operated Since 1937.
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Joined: Sep 2006
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I don't believe weight distribution was not much of an issue. If three legs can safely support a concert grand, then they can safely support a 5' player.
What the double legs mostly did on player grands was to help hide the mechanical and pneumatic workings which were suspended below the keybed.
JG
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Joined: Jun 2010
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OP
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Thanks for the responses. The primary question is still unanswered: when were these player pianos made? Was it before Knabe appears to fade away in the late 1920's and 1930's?
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Joined: May 2003
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Greetings,
I haven't seen a reproducer made after 1930 or so. I believe the golden age of the reproducers was 1910-1930. The six legs were not needed for support so much as visual esthetics. The longer cases required by the repro mechanisms look more proportional with the extra legs.
Regards,
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Joined: Jul 2009
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Many piano companies made 6 legged pianos including Steinway. I think it was just a furniture styling.
Knabe 5'2" Louis XV Walnut circa 1927
Very part time piano broker.
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OP
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Thanks for the responses. I had a feeling that piano was older than 1950. 
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The piano in the photo needs a set of casters...
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The piano in the photo needs a set of casters... ...or we could saw an inch or two off the lyre. 
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