Steinway NY Re-Introduces the O (to replace the L)

[gordon stelter]

I'm working on a 1923 Steinway that says "Miniature"
on the plate, but is only 5',6-1/2", so I presume it's
a "M", although there are no other designations on the
plate other than a bunch of leters and numbers at the
tail which I don't understand. Do you know what they
mean ?
--- Cy Shuster <cy@shusterpiano.com> wrote:

>
http://www.steinway.com/features/MainFeature_SteinwayO.shtml
> 
> Steinway & Sons New York Re-Introduces The Steinway
> Model O
> 
> 
> In 1902, the Model O was first produced by the
> Steinway & Sons New York 
> factory and introduced to the American consumer
> market as the "Miniature" 
> Steinway grand piano. It was the Model O that was
> the first Steinway grand 
> piano to feature the classic Steinway case design
> known as Sketch 380 
> Sheraton (squared off, spade-shaped legs) designed
> by Eugene F. Ayuso, now 
> the standard case design for all Steinway grand
> models.
> 
> When the Model O grand was a brand new scale, it
> reflected several major new 
> technical innovations with its unprecedented
> incorporation of 26 notes in 
> the bass section. The plate design did not
> incorporate adjustable rear 
> duplexes, but had instead solid duplex ribs cast in
> the plate. Examination 
> of early Model O grands reveals that Henry Ziegler
> who designed this model 
> conducted many experiments and made several
> adjustments in features and 
> layout. In 1902 and again in 1904, New York factory
> log book entries for 
> Model O grands say, "Model A shape" (i.e., square
> tail instead of standard 
> Model O round tail). These few early experimental
> Model O grands with square 
> tails might well be considered to be the earliest
> predecessors of the Model 
> L grand.
> 
> As mentioned, Henry Ziegler (1857-1930) designed and
> invented the Model O. 
> He also designed and invented the Models M (1912)
> and L (1923), both of 
> which are based on the original Model O design and
> scale. The Model M (5'7") 
> is a slightly shorter version of the Model O. The
> Model L is essentially the 
> same scale as the Model O but with a square tail,
> rather than round. The 
> Model S (5'1"), which was introduced in 1936, is
> also based on the Model O 
> design and scale.
> 
> In 1906, the Model O bass bridge was changed from
> straight to curved, and 
> the plate was reconfigured to accommodate adjustable
> rear duplex scales.
> 
> In 1914, the length of the Model O was increased
> slightly by 1/2" from 5'10" 
> to 5'10-1/2". On November 7, 1924, the last of these
> historic Model O grands 
> were produced in New York.
> 
> Now in 2006, the Steinway & Sons New York factory
> has announced that it will 
> return to the production of the original fully
> developed version of the 
> Model O grand with its characteristic round tail,
> curved bass bridge, and 
> rear duplex scales as perfected in his time by Henry
> Ziegler-but with all of 
> the modern technical innovations that have followed:
> Accelerated Action 
> (1931), Diaphragmatic soundboard (1936), Hexagrip
> Wrestplank (1963), 
> Permafree II Action Bushings (1983), and NY Improved
> Action (1992) to name a 
> few.
> 
> The reintroduction of the Steinway Model O grand
> piano is intended to 
> replace the similarly sized Steinway Model L grand.
> The Model O will now be 
> produced in both the Steinway & Sons New York and
> Hamburg factories.
> 
> 
> 


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