Les Smith wrote: > Hi, Stephen. > > It's not often that I am caught at a loss for words, but I have to admit > that this is one of those times. To put this as diplomatically as I > possibly can-- and diplomacy isn't really my forte :)--when discussing > valuable antique pianos the name Brambach rarely comes up. In fact, never. > However, your customer obviously believes this to be a rare and valuable > instrument. She also appears to believe that its finish is lacquer. It's > not. If she wants information on the RESTORATION of original finishes on > antiques, you might tactfully suggest that she post to the newsgroup > rec.antiques. There's some fairly knowledgeable people who actually post > there from time to time. In order that you don't personally rain on your > customer's parade, you might suggest that she pay to have someone who > regularly restores "valuable antique pianos" to come out and appraise > her instrument before she invests any significant dollars in it. Chances > are that he won't even come out to look at the instrument, but just give > her the bad news over the phone. The point here being that the truth > about her piano is coming from someone else, rather than yourself. I > don't think that you want to put yourself in a position where you confirm > her belief that she has a rare and valuable antique that is worth re- > storing. Adopting such a position could come back to haunt you BIG-TIME! > The best approaach for you to take will depend upon what you have ALREADY > told her and lead her to believe about her piano. This is a tricky situa- > tion. As "Buck" Staghorn says: "Watch where you step"! > > Les Smith > lessmith@buffnet.net > > PS I guess I wasn't at a total loss for words afterall! :-) I wonder, though, if there might not be a market for these in Texas? You know, with a little padding here and there, some naugahyde (sp?) tuck and roll. Perhaps with a bit of metal flake paint on the plate and strings? We could be looking at $40K to $50K here. Now that I've made your day, have a nice one... Del
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