In answer to Bruce Clark's question:
> What is wrong with some people that they do not respect nice
> old instruments?  Were these problems evident in the old days?

I am reminded a of a story Jerry Biasella told me.  I had gone to see
him when I was in the process of restoring Mr. Brady's Unika.  This
Unika was literally in baskets so to get a general idea of how the
thing when together, I visited Jerry to study one he had together and
still playing.

The first thing I noticed this instrument was a multitude of cigarette
burns on cheek block and even on the ivories themselves.  I asked Jerry
about it.  He said that the question was put to the original owners who
ran a small cafe in Belgium.  He said that the couple went into a
tirade about the belligerent attitude of the American soldiers, during
the allied occupation end of WW2, how they were slobs and had NO
respect for other peoples property.

More proof that the more things change ...

Brian Thornton, Short Mtn. Music Works
109 N. Cannon St., Woodbury TN 37190
615-563-5814
http://www.mindspring.com/~goatboy/smmw.htm