Bill Mintz wrote:

> I don't remember where, but I have seen a reference to an ordinary
> piano (i.e., one lacking a player) as a "Silent Piano".

I use that term all the time.  It came from the old 'twenties magazine
ad that had two cartoons.  The first one showed a family sitting in a
living room with a standard upright piano; everyone snoozed or looked
bored including the dog and cat.  The caption read "The Silent Piano".

The second frame showed that same family in the same living room with a
player piano being pedaled: someone was singing and some were dancing.
Even the dog and cat were running around.  Its caption was "The Player
Piano".

Since I saw that old ad I have referred to non-players as "Silent
Pianos".

D. L. Bullock   Piano World    St. Louis