[pianotech] What kind of wood is this?

[Barbara Richmond]

It reminds me of a bookcase I had, that someone thought was chestnut. 

That's the best I can do. 

Barbara Richmond, RPT 
near Peoria, Illinois 

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Sheila Holcomb" <fortefile at gmail.com> 
To: "Pianotech List" <pianotech at ptg.org> 
Sent: Thursday, August 26, 2010 10:57:44 AM 
Subject: [pianotech] What kind of wood is this? 




(photos here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/23869082@N03/sets/72157624687893411/ ) 


Sporer, Carlson & Berry Upright, No. 1571 
No year listed in the atlas, but the company made pianos from 1860-1915 


My first guess from the color and rough grain texture would be oak, but I have never seen this sort of dramatic curl pattern in oak. 


Anyone else seen this look before? 
Also, any guesses on age? 


The other weird thing is that at first I thought it had been refinished, due to the light color compared to the color under the lid, but then I notice the the crazing in the finish is still there. Is there any way someone lightened the finish without removing the crazing? 


Oh, and this was a fire salvage piano and then stored, so it would have been exposed to heat and then covered in a layer of soot for about 10 years. You can see silhouettes of knickknacks and photo frames on the lid where the heat discolored the finish. 








[k] 







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