I am particularly interested to learn of an extant George Steck Style
NY.  I have been compiling a registry of extant Duo-Art Concertola
instruments and this is the first extant George Steck model of which
I have become aware.

The Concertola was advertised by the Aeolian Company as available with
George Steck, Steinway, and Weber grand pianos.  One special order
Concertola Mason & Hamlin grand piano is known to have been produced.
Although this Mason & Hamlin piano is extant, the fate of its Duo-Art
mechanism and Concertola unit is unknown.  I suspect that many Concertola
instruments had their Duo-Art mechanism removed and that mechanism and
Concertola discarded.

Since the spool box for these instruments is not in the piano, once the
Duo-Art mechanism is removed there is little to differentiate these
pianos from their straight piano counterpart.  A single roll Concertola
unit for the larger program roll and a 10-roll changer Concertola unit
were advertised.

Supposedly there is an extant single roll Concertola unit, but I have
been unable to learn its whereabouts.  From the serial numbers of extant
10-roll Concertola units one might surmise that less than 100 units
were produced.  As best as I have been able to determine the Aeolian
Company factory production records for the Concertola units and
associated pianos have been lost.

The Aeolian Company also produced 10-roll Concertola units for their
Duo-Art Pipe Organs and I am not aware of any Pipe Organ Concertola
unit having the same serial number as a Piano Concertola unit.  If
anyone is aware of an extant Piano Concertola unit and/or an associated
piano or an extant Pipe Organ Concertola unit and has not communicated
with me, I would appreciate learning that information so that I can add
it to the registry.

There is not much that I can add to Jim Heyworth's response in 070131
MMDigest.  I would encourage finding a Concertola unit to do a proper
historical restoration, but I, too, would suggest restoring the piano
and its Duo-Art mechanism first and incorporating a non-invasive MIDI
system.  An easily reversible MIDI system should be straightforward.

Fundamentally, the Concertola unit converts a pneumatic response
based on the hole in the paper roll to an electrical signal, and the
Duo-Art mechanism in the piano converts that electrical signal back
to a pneumatic response.  Electro-pneumatic action pipe organs work
similarly and MIDI systems have been developed for them.

Stating Jim's comment on value in another form: something is worth
what a willing buyer and willing seller agree to exchange it for.  For
insurance purposes one faces a separate issue.  In an insurance claim,
"value" is what you can negotiate with the insurance company to
compensate you for a loss.  A Renter/Homeowner Policy generally
provides coverage for household contents.  The extent of coverage
provided depends on the clauses in the policy.

Usually, up to a preset limit, contents are insured at "actual cash
value."  Here "actual cash value" is what you would expect to pay for
an identical item, today.  What that means, in practice, if you do not
agree with the amount the insurance company offers is that you would
need to show the insurance company an "identical" item for sale to
determine "value."  But what do you do, as in this case, where it is
unlikely that you could find an "identical" item for sale?  You make
an argument based on "comparables."

For the sake of discussion, I will offer a scenario.  Except for the
Duo-Art mechanism this piano is basically a straight 1932 (from Pierce
Piano Atlas, 1965 Edition), 5' 1", George Steck Grand Piano.  On the
Sarasota Craig's List there is one with somewhat lower Serial Number,
121581, claimed in excellent condition, listed at $4,000.  That might
establish "actual cash value" for the basic piano.  It is harder to
find a "comparable" for the Duo-Art mechanism.

I am not aware of a sale of a complete Duo-Art mechanism for a
Concertola system.  I do know of a recent sale of a complete unrestored
"typical" Duo-Art mechanism for $1,200.  One might be able to find for
sale another piano with a Duo-Art mechanism for a Concertola system,
e.g. a Steinway XY, and then subtract the "actual cash value" of the
corresponding straight piano, e.g., a Steinway M to establish the
"actual cash value" of a Duo-Art mechanism for a Concertola system.

In any case, my guess is that you could convince an insurance company
that the "actual cash value" of an unrestored complete Duo-Art
mechanism for a Concertola system is somewhat higher than $1,200 if
that would enable closing the claim quickly.

To avoid having to prove "actual cash value" for insurance purposes
after a loss, I suggest that one get a Scheduled Personal Property
Endorsement to their renter/homeowner insurance policy for any item
they consider "high value."  This becomes an agreement between you and
the insurance company of the amount they would compensate you for an
item in case of a loss.  In practice such an endorsement has more to
do with "risk" and setting a rate than what is the "value" of an item.

The insurance company will require some basis for the "value" specified.
Generally, a receipt for what you paid for the item is sufficient.  The
"value" also can be negotiated based on an appraisal or some other
rational method.

Joe Orens