My thanks to Dan Wilson for much additional information on the Triumph
Autopiano.  I am interested to know that the Triumph piano was not
connected with the Triumph car.  That was mere conjecture on my part.

I have Packard and Cadillac player pianos which I was told had
connection with those illustrious car companies.  Am I correctly
informed on those two, folks?  I was unaware of Kastner pianos and
Autopianos since I have never seen one over here under that name.

The lid prop was indeed spring loaded from the factory, or at least it
looked the proper age to have been factory.  It was wood and was
finished to match the piano.  (Not the spring, <G>)

Dan wrote, "The Triumph had 'button' subduing rather than sliding levers
as per Aeolian and Hupfeld. ... You could subdue both sides at once by
operating a "Triumphodist" (= Solodant) lever ... I found it a bit of
a fiddle, frankly."

This piano indeed had the Triumphodist and buttons.  I found it a
pain to use.  Interesting colloquialism "found it a bit of a fiddle"
What does that mean for us Yanks?

DL Bullock
http://www.thePianoWorld.com/
St. Louis, MO

 [ Colin MacKinnon wrote me, "As Julian mentioned, the Triumph car
 [ was made by the Standard Motor Company.  That company also made
 [ the Vanguard, Mayflower, and TRx series sports cars.  I believe it
 [ became part of BMC (British Motor Corporation) and eventually became
 [ defunct like most English car companies."  -- Robbie