Piano Detectives

[Les Smith]

On Thu, 30 Oct 1997, Jeannie Grassi wrote:

> List,
>     I have reason to suspect that a used piano recently purchased by a
> client of mine is not the Chickering that the name on the fallboard boasts.
> Let me set the scenario for those of you who like puzzles:
>     It recently (can still smell the solvents) was sprayed black over what
> was an aging mahogany finish   The only place a name appears anywhere on the
> piano is the brand new Chickering fallboard decal.  Serial #114507.
>     So what do you experts think?  Any help is greatly appreciated.  We're
> dying of curiosity.
> Jeannie

			CHICKERINGS AND CHICKENWINGS

A long time ago, Chickering deservedly enjoyed a reputation as a maker of
fine-quality pianos. As a matter of fact, for many years they were regard-
ed as the premier piano manufacturer in the country. And then--to hear old
Jonas tell it--due to lax 19th century immigration laws regrading German
immigrants by the name of Steinweg, Chickering eventually surrendered the
top spot to Steinway, never to regain it again. Nevertheless, up until
after the first third of the 20th century, Chickering continued to build
exceptional pianos. However, after they were acquired by Aeolian in 1932,
it was all downhill from there. Latter day Aeolian-built Chickerings were
such in name only--The quality ranging from dismal to downright embaras-
sing. 

In the pre-Aeolian days, there were actually two Chichering companies and
they were related: Chickering&Sons and Chickering Brothers. Chickering &
Sons was founded by Jonas Chickering in Boston and later Chickering Bro-
thers set up operation in Chicago. The Chickering "Brothers" actually
"interned" in the Boston factories. Their grands are readily identifiable
by the names "Acoustigrand" and Capacoustigrand" which are actually cast
into the plates themselves. The 6'2" Acoustigrand was an impressive in-
strument.

In addition to those two companies, one sometimes encounters another, les-
ser-known Chickering "company". Although the history books usually gloss 
of this part of the Chickering story, the fact is that Jonas Chickering
fathered an illegitimate son by the name of Ebeneezer Zachariah Chicker-
ing, or "E. Z." Chickering as he is more commonly known. Old "EZ" was
the black sheep of the family. He didn't go into the family business like
his brothers, in fact he didn't go into manufacturing pianos at all. In-
stead, his specialty was manufacturing DECALS. He would pick up any old.
no-name, POS, PSO, POJ piano, remove the original decal, slap on one of
his "EZ" Chickering decals and then try to pass the piano off as the real
thing. For clarity's sake, I refer to original, genuine Chickerings as
"Chickerings" and "EZ's" imposters as "Chickenwings". The rest of this
post tells you how to distinguish one from the other. It's not difficult. 

To begin, remove the music desk and look at the plate. A 1909 Chickering
will have the name CAST INTO THE PLATE. Now look at the "capo bar" Does
it have one? If so, IT's a CHICKENWING! In 1909 Chickering used agraffes
through out the entire compass of the scale. Look closely at the high-
est treble section and you will see "upside-down" agraffes set into the
bottom of a short "capo" bar. EVERWHERE else should be standard agraffes,
one per note. While you're on top, take a look at the bass break. There
should be WOUND, triple-string unisons on BOTH sides of the break--in
other words the last few tenor unisons and the first few bass unisons
should all be wound triples. Lastly, for now, look at the  soundboard.
It should have an original, "naked-lady" Chickering decal (don't all
run for your decal catalogs!) if it's genuine. If not--you guessed it--
it's a Chickenwing!

Continuing. Pull the fallboard. If it's a Chickering it will have a
bracket and a set-screw at either end. By loosening the set-screw you
can pull the falllboard WITHOUT having to remove the cheekblocks and
keyslip. If you don't have this set-up, you don't have a Chickering.
With the fallboard removed, look at the pinblock. Not only should it
be in MORE THAN ONE PIECE, but it will be fastened in FROM THE BOTTOM
with MACHINE SCREWS. If the pinblock is NOT fitted in this manner, the
piano is a CHICKENWING, not a Chickering. Pull the action. The hammer
flanges are unique to vintage Chickerings and are made of brass. Al-
ways.

Now for a biggie as distinctive as the pinblock. Remove the action and
look at the dampers. Genuine Chickering dampers are immediately identi-
fiable by the fact that the damper wires ARE SCREWED INTO THE DAMPER 
FLANGES, and NOT held there with set-screws. Likewise, the damper
heads, themselves, are SCREWED on to the horizontal portion of the
damper wire and secured there with a small daub of burnt shellac. A
1909 Chickering will have NO OTHER damper arrangement, only this one.

By now you examination should be complete, but you can look at a few
other things if you like. Take the case. The legs will be rounded,
fluted, gracefully-tapered "fat-lady's legs (apologies to any fat
ladies on the list), nothing else, although later reproducing player
grands would use double legs at each corner. Finally, there a cynics
out there who will say that you can also tell it's a genuine Chicker-
ing if the soundboard is cracked, the ribs loose, the bridges split,
the pinblock delaminating and the tuning pins loose, but you probably
won't have go that far. :)

A word of warning. From the way you described it, the piano in ques-
tion may very well NOT be a genuine Chickering, HOWEVER, be aware that
the piano's owner may not want to hear he truth from you for one of
two reasons. First, she is convinced that she bought a Chickering and
would rather live the illusion that it is real than have to face the fact
that it isn't. And, secondly, she may ALREADY KNOW that the piano is,
in fact, a Chickenwing. Perhaps a part of the sales agreement was that
the seller would install any decal she wanted and she CHOSE Chicker-
ing. Stranger things have happened, believe me. I mention this because
you indicated that the lady appeared unconcerned when you questioned
the authenticity of the instrument. Tread softly here.

Someday a customer may call you in to evaluate a Chickering they are
considering buying and rely on your judgement as to whether or not the
piano is genuine and worth the asking price. Hopefully some of the
information contained in this post might help you make that determina-
tion. Good luck. 

Les "Sherlock" Smith
lessmith@buffnet.net