English Square Piano (retired)

[princessemily]

Released in 1998 for $120, retired in 2001.

No wonder Tía Dolores insisted on bringing her piano with her all the way from Mexico City—it was a beauty! You can help Josefina play this wonderful wooden reproduction. It has the same square shape, inlay trim, and fancy metal ornamentation as the pianos in Josefina’s day. Lift the lid to reveal working keys, and use the sheet music to serenaded Josefina with the melody to Home Sweet Home.


I can't believe I haven't reviewed this yet!

This piece is...lovely. What more can I say? It's made of the loveliest wood to match the rest of Josefina's furniture and is oh so smooth, too. There's a lovely border around the edges and gold "buttons" on the corners for decoration.

The keyboard is hidden from view, but to have Josefina play it, you have to lift up the cover (that converts to a music stand). With the cover down, the piano looks like a table. The keys are plastic and really play, too...though it sounds like the Little Tykes xylophone my mom has. But that's just being a little too picky!

The piano comes with miniature sheet music (Home Sweet Home).

I never thought I'd get the piano...I never thought I could afford it! I forget how much it was original price, but I'd never pay those crazy eBay prices for it, despite how gorgeous it is! But now that I have it, it's not going anywhere.

Grade: A++++

Here is Samantha playing the piano at her holiday party:




In its "place of honor" on my Josefina shelf. I only get it down for holiday displays usually. I do feel fortunate enough to have found the perfect little bench for it--it's actually a cigar case, but the color matches perfectly, and I can store Josefina's sashes and things inside.

[PleasantMemories]

Grade: B

I also have the piano. I bought it when it first came out at the MCM sale, where I paid a whopping $70 for it. I thought it was a lot back then. Honestly, I don't think the piano is worth $120, much less the prices they are going for on E-bay.

The detail on the piano is beautiful, as is the wood. It looks just like Tia Dolore's piano in the books, both rustic and elegant. It also makes a cute little table.

My major issue with the piano is that it has little play value. There are only a dozen or so keys, and it sounds like my dd's little tykes xylophone. There are very few tunes that can be played on it. My Josefina's haven't actually played with the piano and I have only taken it out of the box 3 or 4 times since I purchased it. Plus, now that it is essentially "priceless" in the AG world, I'm afraid to take it out of the box.

Honestly, if you are going to spend the money: get Josefina's trunk (or another trunk).

[American Girl Rescue]

I finally acquired one of these rare items. Great for a Josefina collector, but like Pleasant Memories said, it's really not worth what they are asking on ebay these days, quality wise. But if you need it to complete your Josefina collection, it's worth whatever you'll pay for it!

[green chile supergirl]

I bought the piano for a really reasonable price on ebay, but when it arrived, I was really disappointed by the plunky xylophone sound. Even though I paid around retail for it, I was unhappy. By happy circumstance, the post office had damaged it during shipping and I was able to claim the insured parcel. Maybe someone will find themselves a nice banged-up piano at a postal auction! Other than the plunky sounds, the piano is actually very nice. However, given the complexity of other similarly priced items, this one is just too much to spend on what you get, even if you only pay retail.

Grade: C+

[skukla]

My much younger cousin Sarah received Josefina from my parents (coincidentally!) in 1998. An American Girl was her 11-year-old heart's desire. My parents included Josefina's piano in the gift.
I try very hard not to be to jealous of the piano that sits, slightly dusty, treated as if it were just another beloved but outgrown artifact in her childhood bedroom, at my aunt and uncle's house. Instead of something her cousin secretly covets with a passion.
I get to visit it every few years. Last September, I finally took some pics.

[maggiedoll]

English Square Piano
Item# JP $120
Retired

No wonder Tía Dolores insisted on bringing her piano with her all the way from Mexico City—it was a beauty! You can help Josefina play this wonderful wooden reproduction. It has the same square shape, inlay trim, and fancy metal ornamentation as the pianos in Josefina’s day. Lift the lid to reveal working keys, and use the sheet music to serenaded Josefina with the melody to Home Sweet Home.

[*Mod edit to remove dead image links throughout review.]

Yeah we all know the drill, "If only in 1997 I would know how much I would spend on Ebay for this thing when it was originally $120...."

The piano is made of wood with metal details. Like most of Josefina's furniture, except for the bed, the piano is on American Girl's Wonky Scale. It is also very light. I think if the piano suffered a fall at the wrong angle from too high from the floor it would shatter. On the other end, My very fat cat has developed a love if sitting and laying on the piano and it seems like it has handled her weight well. However, like so many American Girl things it is a big dust catcher.

You can see some dust already settled in the hard-to-clean places on the keyboard. I really like how it open and closes. In a pinch the piano can be served as a table or a desk. Currently I can not have small things out due to my kitten's "I must destroy/lose everything I can" stage but Josefina's toy farm and vase from birthday treats look lovely on the piano. I find it kind of plain without anything on the piano.

I may be a minority here, but I really like the sound. Maybe it is because I knew going into the purchase that it would not should like a "real" piano. I find the "toyish" sound very enduring and charming. When playing with it I find myself like a child.

It is very plain in the back but I'm sure the original 1824 pianos would had plain backs too.

Each leg has a little brass detail. It does not seem like it tarnishes with age and does not seem like a risk for falling off the piano with careful play or display.

I am pretty sure the details are painted. Much like her other thing's Josefina's piano could be considered plain but I would call them elegant in their simplicity.

There was no bench, but the piano originally came with sheet music to "Home Sweet Home" which is kind of hard to find when buying the piano on Ebay. It's a nice addition but not vital, I don't think Josefina plays it at any time in her stories. The music is made of parchment like paper and I believe that the music is printed out in full. I don't know if it is because it was closed or in storage or something for a few years but the sheet music does not stay open very well on the stand. It will probably need to be flatten to be displayed open. When I can display it again on the piano, I prefer to keep it close.

With Josefina's bed to its side, her chair/table behind and Cécile's table to the side. The piano works well in the dolls worlds. The piano is slightly off with the rest of Josefina's furniture but that could emphasis that this is a special item not found in every home. More on Josie the cat later...

Finally Josefina makes an appearance! I honestly don't know why for $120 original why the piano did not come with a bench. Who plays the piano standing? Currently Josefina uses one of the chairs from her table to sit, at some point I'll get a bench of stool or something. Sitting on the chair Josefina is a bit awkward at the piano, but with some maneuvering I have her kind of sitting/kind of standing, giving it an appearance that she is sitting on the edge of the chair. If posed just right, Josefina's fingers lay quite nicely on the keys.

I most disagree with some above reviews. I think this piano is lovely for not only Josefina but other collections from Caroline to Molly. Even in a bit of historical reimaging it could be used as a harpsichord for Felicity. Unlike other "large" pieces it is very important in Josefina's core books and at least one short story. It also fits into Josefina's personality as a musically talented, but shy girl who fights between attention and not being noticed. It is also a piece that you can find the piano at the price you want in time. Then, when you get it, you and Josefina will be happy. A

Bonus pic, Josie, musical kitty protégé.