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Toy Piano Classic

This Classic Toy Piano dates from the 1930s. Originally made in the 1800s in Germany, toy pianos utilized a simple keyboard action with wooden hammers to strike tuned glass bars instead of strings. In 1930, instrument designer Alice Bennett created one which used tuned metal rods (tines). The sound of these tines is what we recognize today as the iconic sound of a toy piano. This diminutive keyboard has made regular appearances in popular music and is now embraced as a viable instrument in concert works. There is even an annual Toy Piano Festival at the University of California, San Diego.