This replica of an early 20th-Century Steinway & Sons soundboard decal is from Decals Unlimited. The original flawless red spruce soundboard and the Cuban mahogany cabinet were refinished using Sutherland Welles polymerised tung oil and uralkyd varnish products. The piano is a Steinway & Sons model "A" grand piano (6’ 1-1/2”) (190 cm) made in the New York factory circa 1915. This venerable teacher's piano was passed over by several technicians as unsuited for restoration until we found it on O`ahu in Hawai`i and rebuilt it. In the end, we bought this classic instrument from its owner and brought it with us to Ireland where it is is played daily in our home.
The number of pianos worthy of restoration is limited to a handful of brands, like Steinway, Mason & Hamlin, Bechstein, Bosendorfer and some names largely unknown in the 21st century. These pianos were all made from the timeless hardwoods, not fiberboard or plywood coated in a space-age plastic. They have already stood the test of time, most for more than 100 years. And pianos like these will be played decades from now when the the vast majority of contemporary instruments will be in the landfill.