Spinit-ized and Mirrored pianos

There was a time in the 1950s that it seemed to be popular to try to
"modernize" old upright pianos.  My parents gave their upright to my
brother around 1953 and he had someone come and cut it down so that
the front board laid back at a slight angle.  They were going to add
a mirror to the front, but his wife would not have it.

A few years later, I lived in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, and it apparently
was popular there, too.  However, when I was invited to play one such
piano that had a mirror added, it was really annoying to be seeing the
ceiling light reflected in the mirror in direct eyesight and impossible
to avoid looking at the ceiling.  It was also especially annoying when
accompanying a soloist being reflected at that awkward angle.

That particular piano had the case narrowed down to the music rack and
then a steep angle with the mirror applied.  I'm sure it ruined the
sound of the instrument too.  Blue mirrored pianos were popular too.

There are lots of ways to ruin a piano! <lol>

Al Good