A similar instrument as Kevin McElhone described in MMD 020318 is in
existence in Deventer, Netherlands. The Pianovo had been playing in
a pub in Wesepe, a small village in the East. It took in Dutch 5-cent
pieces.
Hendrik Strengers wrote an interesting article about the Pianovo in Het
Pierement, issue 1986, p. 41-42. I have sent two of the pictures that
went with the article, so MMD'ers may have a look at the innards of
this interesting machine. All inscriptions inside are in German. The
apparent number is 6050.
Mr. Strengers thinks the Pianovo may have been made by Popper in
Leipzig, but as there is no name inside the instrument; the proof is
only circumstantial. No other specimen is known to us. (Anyway, there
are now two Pianovos known to exist!) I hope this will help us all
to establish the builder.
Regards from the Netherlands,
Hans van Oost
[ Thanks to KDV and Hans for the photos. I'll place them at
[ http://mmd.foxtail.com/Pictures/ -- Robbie
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