So we went to Magna cum Murder, the best mystery festival inna werld! We learned that arsenic is everywhere. We learned how to choke somebody out without leaving marks. Most useful.
In the vendor hall, we saw this piano.

All we could find out about it is that it had been in the house of a woman who was apparently well-thought-of in Hollywood. She had her guests sign the piano. Either she donated the piano to the Columbia Club, or her heirs did.
Naturally, I took pictures of some of the signatures. There were too many for me to get them all. See how many you recognize. Do they bring back memories? Every time I look, I see more.




































Cool, huh? We had a blast, finding signatures. Hope you enjoy the scavenger hunt, too.
A WRITING PROMPT FROM ME TO YOU: A person from the past turns up unexpectedly.
MA
Ally Bean
October 28, 2019 at 10:04amCool piano. I wonder who was the first person to write his or her name on it?
Daisy Pettles
October 28, 2019 at 10:58am“Piano with a Past” : love the title and the photos. Jack Lalane — goodness, I can still see my mom exercising with him on the black and white TV.
Marian Allen
October 28, 2019 at 11:16amExamining that piano was like taking a walk down Memory Lane!
pm laberge
October 28, 2019 at 11:08amSteffie wants your notes and handouts from that meeting.
She’s probably not the only one! LOL!
Marian Allen
October 28, 2019 at 11:17amSteffie could probably have taught that class. heh
pm laberge
October 28, 2019 at 11:24amAnd likely wearing a disguise!
Who knows, you may have actually met her!
Roy A Ackerman, PhD, EA
October 28, 2019 at 1:13pmSome people sign baseballs, others pianos.
Marian Allen
October 29, 2019 at 8:42amThe nice thing about signed pianos is that no light-fingered guest is likely to walk off with it in his pocket. So there’s that.
dan antion
October 28, 2019 at 8:22pmThat’s pretty cool!
Marian Allen
October 29, 2019 at 8:47amEven Charlie enjoyed the pictures. We had a Moment, or, as we used to say in the days of my misspent youth, we were trippin’ about how looking at a signature can bring a person to metaphorical life in your head.
That piano was some good shit, man.Joanne Sisco
October 30, 2019 at 5:57amWow! That’s like a Who’s Who of entertainers from my youth. James Garner – sigh. I loved that guy!!
Marian Allen
October 30, 2019 at 8:40amI know, right? Every name I recognized unlocked a flood of memories. It was grand! Well, the experience was grand. The piano was an upright. ~ducks~
Damyanti Biswas
November 1, 2019 at 12:22pmWow! what a history! All those names…
Marian Allen
November 1, 2019 at 12:25pmIsn’t it wonderful? So many memories! Maybe by next year, it’ll be properly conserved, not just sitting out in the open with no explanation.