Any ideas on this thing?

[nhbenz]

Well, my brother-in-law gave me this to identify. It's not dug and he doesn't know where it came from. It measures just over a foot long. There are no markings anywhere on it. On the one side is a decorative brass piece wrapped around an iron piece that would work as a lever, as there is a hinge in the middle. The opposite end has a small hole and (on the bottom) what seems to be a socket where the end of a cable would be connected. Given its size it seems to me it would work well as a pedal, like for a piano... but there's no significant sign of wear to the thing, so I doubt thats it. Well, any and all responses are welcome.

 

Amazon Forum Fav 👍

Family Maps of Hinds County, Mississippi, Deluxe Edition - Grab it through Amazon!

[gollum]

Looks like it might be a foot pedal from an old piano or organ.

Best,

Mike

 

[nhbenz]

Quite perhaps it is. I can't find info on how piano pedals (sustaining pedals?) work.

 

[BuckleBoy]

I am a concert pianist, conductor, and musician. That is definitely a pedal from a piano. Interesting and ornate one at that. Late Victorian most likely. The place where there is a hole in the non-ornate end would've had a metal spindle that threaded through and went up toward the back of the keyboard so that pressure on the pedal would pull the spindle down and release the strings to vibrate freely (if it was the sustain pedal-- right hand pedal) or pull the damper down on part of the strings (in the case of the "una corda," or "soft" pedal--left-hand pedal). The metal spindle was then tightened to the correct length to provide the right amount of responsiveness when pressed. A similar device was used in pipe organs (with regard to the spindle, which in that case would pull open a pipe so that air could rush in). The pedal would have been wooden in that case, and not brass. When I search the apparatus on google, all I get is electronic pedals for keyboards, but just walk into a music store and ask to see the pedal mechanism on a non-electric upright grand piano. That'll give you an idea. Interesting find!

Buckleboy

 

[nhbenz]

Well then, I'm convinced. Thanks Will for your detailed explaination... I love learning stuff that's outside of the realm of general knowledge! Thank you too Mike. -Ben

 

[BuckleBoy]

No Problem. The piece might be worth some bucks at a place that does vintage piano repair. E-bay is prob. your best bet if you wanted to part with it though. Hard to tell who might be needing just one pedal for that particular model

W

 

[nhbenz]

Well, then I guess my pick-up is gonna' have a fancy new gas pedal. Thanks again.

 

[DCMatt]

 

[nhbenz]

Nice diagram Matt, thanks. However, with extensive google-searching and having looked at what has to have been every antique piano parts catalog online, I couldn't come up with any that were even close to as decorative as this... even the "fancy" pianos seemed to have a flatish pedal. Also the pivot seemed to be different. Could there be another purpose for this thing? There isn't the type of wear on this thing indicating that it was used as a pedal (although I admit that in my piano playing career I didn't even use the pedals in ANY of the five times I played). I'm usually not skeptical, and I appreciate the help, but I'm just not sure... I have no illusions that that this thing is "special" or valuable, but if a link could be found that shows one somewhat similar then I'd be wholly convinced. Thanks for your time! -Ben

 

[BuckleBoy]

I'm going to e-mail some of my friends who work as piano restorers. That's a good point about the lack of wear, but that doesn't necessarily rule out the pedal. The soft pedal would have gotten much less wear than the damper on any piano. I know that sometimes when pianos get restored, the put new pedals and hardware on them. Let me see what I can find out. I'll include your photo from the post above...

W

 

[nhbenz]

W, thanks for your extended efforts! -Ben