Bill will know what it is

[Johnkie]

Anyone know exactly what this strange arrangement is for ? Can't say that I've ever come across anything like it ..... Not any kind of hammer rest that I've seen, so perhaps it might be something quite different.

[Bill Kibby]

Your confidence in me is flattering, but I can't quite see what I'm supposed to be looking at! I will enlarge it and see what that achieves. Any chance of a close-up, or better resolution? What piano is it from?

It looks like some strange, heavy-duty half-blow, but I can't see how it would move the hammer-rest any way but upwards. What happens when you operate the pedals?

[MarkGoodwinPianos]

Random guess alert: is it an action carrying handle? I doubt it but it looks handle-ish.
Higher res photo needed

[vernon]

The general impression from the long key/action prologues suggest a date of early 1900s.
The ironmongery shown is not any sort of contraption to open the top door as considered on another thread especially the Heintzmann I had?

[Johnkie]

Sorry guys ... this is the only photo I have ..... and I've got to come clean and admit it came from a post on the American site. I myself wondered if the contraption attached to the strange big lever to the left hand side was in fact masking a perfectly normal hammer rest i.e honky tonk rail or celeste rail with parts missing.

I was pretty convinced that you would know straight away young Bill Kibby - It is indeed History in the making .... finding something to stump Bill ( I bet it doesn't take him long to find out though .... total confidence that he will !!)

[Bill Kibby]

Yes, but how will I sleep?