Several posters have mentioned the "importance" of carefully working
around the original piano decal when "reworking" a piano finish.  This
isn't necessary.

Until the early 1930s, at which time nitrocellulose lacquer came into
use, almost all pianos were finished with shellac.  After cleaning
the original shellac, preferably with "Scrubbing Bubbles" (which in my
opinion also works great on lacquer), and then wet-sanding it down to
below the decal with naphtha and 320-grit silicone-carbide sandpaper, a
new decal can be applied from the several hundred perfect reproductions
available from Decals Unlimited.

Of course, a wipe-on finish will mess up a new decal, so plan on using
a spray finish (from a can is fine) on at least this portion of the
instrument.

Gordon Stelter