[ Jessica W. wrote in 040324 MMDigest:

> Its weight is probably close to 2,000 pounds and has a thick piece
> of solid copper inside.  I would like to know what date it was made.

Hi All,  According to the Pierce Piano Atlas, C. Kurtzmann piano, serial
number 15465 was made in 1900.  Considering the date of manufacture,
it might be a square grand or a full size upright.  In either case,
it's extremely doubtful that it has any copper inside other than that
which is wrapped around the bass strings.

It's my guess that the plate has a copper color.  A quick test with
a magnet would tell the story since copper is not magnetic.  If the
magnet sticks, the plate contains iron.  If further proof was needed,
a scratch test would render the truth of the matter and most likely
reveal that the plate is made out of cast iron.

It's also doubtful that the piano weighs in excess of 1000 pounds.
Even the Lauter "cement" piano weighed less than a ton, and a new
9-foot Steinway Concert grand weighs 'only' 900 pounds.

Musically,

John A. Tuttle
Player-Care.com
Brick, NJ, USA