The Jamar Toy Piano...

We were in Chicago and it started out like most things start out with and that is a well intentioned mad dash to somewhere that seems like a good idea. This mad dash good idea was a quick visit to the thrift store. That is always a great idea for my wife, Cathy and daughter Katie. I don't think either one ever buys a brand new article of clothing and only occasionally a new pair of shoes when a gently used article of good quality will do. 

This trip got off to a great start when in the ally behind Katie's garage they spotted this toy piano sitting by a trash can. There was also a lamp but it was pronounced, even with a second return for closer inspection, undesirable and possibly electrically dangerous.     

A little research tells that toy pianos date to the mid 19th century. I guess they were made while kids were biding their time while waiting for ipads to be invented. Instead of hammers striking a string to make sound like a real piano they strike a metal bar to produce a tinkling western saloon type sound. By the 1950s the leading makers were Jaymar, which produced this example and Schoenhut. In the 70s Jaymar acquired it's competitor. In the 80s Jaymar went bankrupt and again emerged in 1997 as Schoenhut which looks to make many of the percussion, ukes, kalimbas and other instruments for children. Since their web site has a Chinese language version I would guess no longer made in the USA.  

This piano seems to date from the 50s to early 60s. Some logs look a bit cartoony which I am going to guess were later models. Values on auction sites indicate $25 to $360 depending on condition. It is a chromatic instrument and while it's probably not tuned A440 a toy piano has been used in everything from serious Avant guard compositions to pop music. Here is a video of a Jaymar piano with exact patent number as this ally find. 

So why did the piano end up in the ally? I guess that's another blog post with a story of people's lives that we can only guess at. My grandson, Wallace took right to this thing. I think it's in a good home and has a good chance of making 50 or 60 more good years.