WOODSTOCK, N.Y. (AP) — Hard of hearing, Thomas Edison found a unique way to appreciate piano music. As someone played, the great inventor would lean in close to the instrument, right above the keys, and he’d bite the piano. Pressing his teeth into the wood helped Edison experience the vibrations in his skull. He said it allowed him to “hear through my teeth.” Robert Friedman recently showed off marks on a Steinway grand piano once owned by Edison — a cluster of shallow indentations roughing up the black lacquer above the keyboard. Friedman sees the marks as toothy signatures left by the inventor of the phonograph. He’s looking for a home for the novel historical artifact he bought last year.
Robert Friedman points out possible bite marks from Thomas Edison on a Steinway grand piano once owned by the inventor, on Sept. 28, 2022, in Woodstock, N.Y. Edison, who was hard of hearing, bit into phonographs and pianos to help him better experience music. Friedman purchased the piano last year and hopes to find a home for it where it can be seen by the public. (AP Photo/Michael Hill)
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