fortepiano

[Rick Florence]

Hi all,

I was asked to evaluate a piano for sale yesterday and wasn't totally
prepared for what I found.  It is a fortepiano.  It has a Viennese action,
an unusual flanged damper system, and a substantial plate (much of it bolted
together)  One curious thing about the plate is that it passes through the
bass bridge, you have to remove the bridge  cap from the root in order to
remove the plate.

Anyway, we talked about what the piano was musically, but I didn't have any
historical answers.  I assume that it would be dated somewhere around 1850's
to 1860's as it is similar to the beefier structure of the Schrimpf
fortepiano here at the school.

The soundboard decal says:

Weltausstellung Wein 1853 (reference to the 1873 Vienna World Fair I assume)
Pianoforte-Fabrik
vor
Josef Berger
Vien
V. Margarethenstrafse 59  (address?)
Werk 1702  (I assume this is a serial #, as it appears on other parts)


Anyone know who this Josef Berger was?  I can't find his name anywhere in my
books or the various internet sights.  If so, does the serial # point to a
date?  Lastly, does this particular builder hold any significance in the
history of the piano, or was he just another builder in Vienna?


Thanks for any info.
_____________
Rick Florence
Piano Technician
Arizona State University, School of Music