"Oldest" Canadian piano??

[Joe & Penny Goss]

Halifax, Can  -  1878  -  15,700
Joe Goss
imatunr@srvinet.com
www.mothergoosetools.com
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "David Renaud" <drjazzca@yahoo.ca>
To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: Sunday, August 05, 2001 9:26 AM
Subject: "Oldest" Canadian piano??


>   I have been looking at some pianos for the Canadian
> Museum of Civilization that have been donated over the
> years. Among them is the very first Mason & R, #101,
> built in 1877. 
> 
>   There is one that seem much older, different then
> anything I've seen. It Sat in the Darthmoth prison
> for years and ended up at the museum.
>   Fraser & Sons, Halifax Nova Scotia. Serial #2 whiten
> in pencil one place in the inner cabinet.#2 is stamped
> into the action in a couple places. 
>   What I find unusual is the absence of a "plate"
> A 4" wide thin metal strip assists support the hitch
> pins of the treble. I say assists because the hitch
> pins pass through an oversize hole into large timber
> wedges between the posts in the back. 
> A 2 " wide strip of metal along the bottom board
> supports the rest of the hitch pins. The are thin
> rectangular metal bars fit along the rear of the back
> posts. 
> Birdcage, extreamly petit hammers. As if the are not
> light enough the top 20 tinny hammer butts have a hole
> drilled through them to make them even lighter.
> On 1870-80's pianos I often see a wood bridge instead
> of a pressure bar in the bass. This one has a
> continuous wood bridge at the tuning pin side
> throughout-t the entire piano. I took lots of notes on
> it...but
> I will end it there.
> 
>     I'm guessing about 1850. Anyone have any
> information at all on Fraser & Sons. 
> 
>   They also have a couple Broadwoods. One quite
> early. I've lost my atlas, and will have to wait
> a few days till my new one arrives. But one must 
> predate most of his patents....looks like a    
> harpsichord....continuous S bridge....so on.
>     
> Lots of notes taken, now I have to make sense of it
> and create a report. Time to hit the books.
>   
>                         Cheers 
>                         David Renaud
>                         RPT
>                         Canada
>                 
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