Daniel Thomas

[Anne Beetem]

>In a message dated 3/30/98 8:05:11 PM, abeetem@wizard.net wrote:
>
><<The instrument below is a rare example of work by an American builder based
>in New York.>>
>
>Ann;
> This is an interesting factoid. Can you tell us more about this man?
>Jim Bryant (FL)

O.K.   5 min. coffee break, there isn't much known.

Daniel Thomas was a cabinet maker New York in 1815 who began making pianos
in 1820, working until approximately 1860.     Only cabinet uprights and
squares survived, and likely are all he made.  Grands were not popular
except among concert artists in those days of very small homes in this
country, and modest means for musical expenses.

In the styles of the times, his instruments display beautiful woodworking,
brass stringing, turned and carved stretchers, etc.

I need to say something here.

Instruments like these should really not be tampered with at all, including
any restoration work, without first contacting museums such as the
Smithsonian and making sure we are not losing valuable information.  If
there are lots of examples of an instrument or a builder's work about,
fine,  "restore" it.  They very well may make you an offer, or tell you of
a collector who will.

If not.  Please, please don't.  Leave it as a compendium of knowledge.
Once touched, knowledge is lost, knowledge of materials, of methods, of the
tools they used to scrape this, to cut that (discernable from the scrapes
and cuts, e.g.).  We have an obligation to posterity.     Let the
craftspeople out there make a duplicate if somebody really wants a playing
model.

For the record, the Smithsonian has an airplane hanger (literally) full of
late 19th century pianos and those mid to late 19th century square
behemoths.   They aren't a worry.   But work such as this from a relatively
obscure American builder, and of quality,  is rare.

Best,

Anne









Anne Beetem
Harpsichords & Historic Pianos
2070 Bingham Ct.
Reston, VA  20191
abeetem@wizard.net