California 1852

[Anne Beetem]

Greetings all!

     I have a historical question for us.  I've already given the inquirer,
Laurette Goldberg from MusicSources in Berkeley,  what I have from my
sources, which I'm do not feel is sufficient.   They are organizing a Gold
Rush musical event to celebrate the sequiscentennial.

      Here's the question:

       What evidence do we have of what type of pianos in California in
1852?   I have direct knowledge of an 1859 cast iron frame Steinway square
which was shipped around South America by boat and still resides in the San
Francisco Bay area.   I know what types of pianos were being produced in
the U.S. then.   A lot happened in those 7 years though in California and
it was still quite rough in 1852.   Information anybody?

       Best,   Anne






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