Ivers & Pond

[Susan Kline]

Hi, Clair

That sounds like a _very sweet_ piano! Just two days ago I tuned an Ivers &
Pond upright from 1918 (#65272), which I imagine was among the last really
good ones they made. It was really something. Agraffes and elaborate
bearings (with a duplex) in all the treble sections. Some (descriptive name
deleted) had lubricated them, and so a few of the lowest row of pins were
jumpy. It had the extra device on the front of the action to adjust for
lost motion when using the soft pedal. Fancy heavy case hardware, good
veneers. Flame mahogany veneer on the _inside._ The lid props (short) were
rosewood with leather on the ends. 

It was in a rural grade school library, and was battered and filthy. No
casters, lid hinges loose; I glued on some of the lid molding which was
lying on the piano when I arrived. Under ossified note name labels and dirt
the ivory was gleaming white and perfect except for a few chips on the
edges. Not a one had ever come unglued. The ebony sharps were incredibly
black, and perfect, too. The regulation and spacing were superb. The tone
was still excellent except for a few notes in the highest octave. The
undersides of the keys had reinforcing inserts. Altogether, it was a _very
impressive_ sort of piano. I spent an extra 90 minutes cleaning the keys,
using scratch remover, replacing rubber buttons, cleaning some of the case,
and talking to the teachers about how to help it. I think they'll go for a
dolly so they can move it to the gym and use it. I left them my article
about piano cleaning, too. I wouldn't mind taking that piano home with me,
battered case, gummy bearings, and all.

The music teacher (itinerant) had been ignoring it and using her stupid
digital keyboard. I found this very disheartening. 

Susan
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At 05:46 AM 9/5/98 -0400, you wrote:
>Hi--
>I'm a newbie--1st PTG conv. was this year. I have acquired an Ivers & Pond
>upright, SN #5883. My guess is it was made in 1888. It's 59 inches high. The
>label under the treble keys has been ingested by mice, except that I did
>piece together the handwritten word "special". Besides the normal upper
>right raised oval on which is printed the name and serial number, with
>calligraphic flourishes, to the left in the plate behind the bass strings is
>cast into the plate very large letters IVERS & POND with a large 9 under
>them. The plate extends *through* the bottom board. I'm pretty sure the
>whole case is solid cherry. The music desk has three scrollwork panels, the
>kick board, two. The silks were still intact and not rotten.
>
>I would love to know anything anyone knows about this piano, esp. what the
>large 9 means. 
>
>Thanks much.
>
>Clair Dunn
>Clair's Piano Service
>Associate Member, PTG
>Fletcher, Vermont
>
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Susan Kline
P.O. Box 1651
Philomath, OR 97370
skline@proaxis.com