Bill, I will try to go out and take some digital pictures of the piano, and will see if I can figure out how to post them. It may take awhile, but I won't forget. Thanks Clark On Tue, 2 Oct 2001 23:03:25 EDT Bdshull@AOL.COM writes: > Hi, Clark: > > Wow. Keith is right, Ed Swenson is the person to contact. > > Being a co-owner of an 1840's Paris Erard myself, I am particularly > > interested in your find. Are you able to get a few pictures for us? > > > I am intrigued by the serial # - you listed 60060, which would be > closer to > 1887 (maybe you meant that) and even with all the Anglo references > that would > be a Paris Erard, I believe. > > By this time the plate would be cast iron, not bars bolted to > pinblock and > rear hitch pin plate, right? I am very interested to know if it is > bars and > hitch plate. > > Are you sure it has been restrung? This piano may or may not have > cast > steel wire - probably not. If it didn't originally, then later > restringing > with modern cast steel wire would compromise the design and possibly > the > structure, pushing the tensions up but not high enough for the short > string > lengths in the treble to sound good. Erard was one of the last > builders to > go modern. The second-generation Erard action you describe is an > example of > this: very much like the original 1821 concept with the > spring-loaded > dampers operating from under the strings. Juan Mas Cabre's Pure > Sound wire > for 19th century pianos is the best wire for this piano - through > the Journal > or Ed. > > Very exciting! I hope you keep us updated, Clark. > > Bill Shull, RPT > CSUSB, La Sierra University > > In a message dated 10/2/01 6:10:13 PM Pacific Daylight Time, > clarks11628@juno.com writes: > > << had > > the opportunity to go and tune an "antique" grand piano today, > and > > going in, that is all I knew. It took my breath away, and I have > > > been in shock ever since. > > It turned out to be the most beautiful, ornate (I know > that > > ornate does not a piano make!) piano I have ever had the pleasure > to > > tune. It was a specially commissioned Erard, circa 1878 (serial # > > > on the soundboard was 60060, signed by Erard). The entire > cabinet > > was done by a cabinet maker by the name of Savant? (it was > signed > > on a little brass plaque on the left rim edge). Apparently it > was a > > custom, specially commissioned piano for the British Embassy, and > it > > had the Royal Seal of Britain on the side of the rim, done in > > bronze, and a special bronze leaf-like trim all around the case. > > > Near perfect ivories, I didn't inspect the board or bridges too > > closely, but they appeared at first glance to be serviceable. > > What I did notice, though, was that it had #1 pins, which > > > were all loose, some worse than others; the strings were showing > a > > little rust, and it had been restrung at one time, as evidenced > by > > the stringing scale written in pencil on the plate, and the > really > > funky feeling action, with the dampers coming up from under the > > strings. No way was I going to pull the action without knowing > what > > I was getting into. The dampers were worn and kind of fuzzy > looking, > > and the hammers were worn, although not too badly. > > We got to talking, and the lady told me where she got the > > > piano, showed me the documentation she got with it, and how much > she > > paid for it. I told her my observations on the condition of the > > > piano, and she asked me how much getting it re-whatever would > cost. > > I told her that you just didn't call Joe the corner Rebuilder for > a > > piano like this, and that I would do some research for her. > > Like I said, the cabinet is breath-taking (at least it > was > > to me). What would you recommend? Who would you recommend? > What > > kind of differences are there in the action? It was straight > > strung, with individual looped strings, ala Bluthner,etc. If she > > > decided to do a job on it, I could repin, restring, etc, but > what > > kinds of problems will I encounter? > > This has been long-winded enough. I sure would > appreciate > > some advice here. Maybe there is a job in this for somebody, and > > > she apparently has the money. Any advice would be appreciated > > muchly!! > > > > Clark Sprague, RPT > > Detroit/Windsor Chapter > > Evola Music of Ohio, Toledo > >> >
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