Chickering Anniversary Grand and 133

[Robin Hufford]

Ric and Del,
     An answer to the question about model location on Chickering and a
count of ribs on the 133.
     There is a model number stamped on the plate.   Depending on the
age of the piano this may be on the side of the strut just above the
upper bass, it may be on the plate webbing itself, or may, finally be at
the tail on the left side of the plate.
     The plates themselves, at least, or in my experience those up to
the forties or so,  follow a design sequence which can be associated
with the scale designations, their ages and locations.    The open plate
and by this is meant the plate with an open area above the right side of
the soundboard - that is a plate which does not completely cover the
soundboard on the right at the curve,  begins sometime in the late
nineteenth century.   There are five or six configurations of plates
that I am aware of that span the period from about 1860 to 1950s.
Chronologically, this would be the third one.    It is used on the 121,
122, 123, 133, the concert grand which I don't know the model number of,
and perhaps others.  The earlier pianos of this type that I have seen
have the model number, name of the company(Chickering, of course), and
location (Boston, U.S.A.)  stamped on the side of the strut as described
above.   A little later the stamped info was decreased in quantity and
placed on the webbing.
     Subsequently, somewhere perhaps, in the mid-teens this style plate
was abandonded and a new configuration substituted in place.  The newer
plate now covers, with the plate holes, the right side of the plate in
the normal fashion, held down by bolts around the perimeter of the
soundboard.  An unusual feature of this plate is the substitution of a
curved, rolled area just interior to the plate bolts which is the
Chickering form of the flange or cupola on Steinway style systems.
During the period of the late eighteenth century Chickering plates, in
an earlier incarnation not described,  had a very impressive coat of
arms, for the absence of a better term, cast into the plate.  This
eventually became the plate decal seen on later style plates.  On the
plate configuration used following the open system just described, there
is much less info:  the model number is cast into the plate at the back,
left side of the tail.
     Finally, at sometime, I think, in  the  early twenties the plate
was changed again.  This time to  a more conventional cupola plate:  the
rolled area in the casting was eliminated, and the shape of the plate
holes changed.  This is the plate, I think, which is used on the
Anniversary Grand.  On reflection, I am not sure of this particular
point.   Anyway, the location of the  model designation was maintained
on the back. left side at the tail.  The 121 became, along with other
new features, the 135; the 133, I think exists, in both styles, although
I am not very familiar with this model, the earlier 123 became the 123
A,B,or C,  and there is a very unusual, remarkable,   eight foot piano,
the 235, and the nine foot which is the 141.  The 141's also have
variants labeled with a letter following the model number.
     On the subject of the 133, on which I posted an inaccurate
commentary earlier,  I did count the ribs on the board removed from one
in my shop.  There were nine.  The bass bridge was cantilevered and an
unusual feature of this piano, something it has in common with the 121,
was a cantilever for the tenor end of the long bridge.  The last seven
unisons are cantilevered away from the point of attachment of the bridge
with the last being about two and a half inches past the glue line.  It
does not, however, approach the rim.  I am not familiar with the sound
of this piano.  The one I had had been ruined by exposure to weather and
I could not evaluate the sound.  However, I have been told that these
are great sounding pianos and believe this  to be the case.
Regards, Robin Hufford


Richard Moody wrote:

> Is there a mark on the piano indicating the model number.  Where
> do you find it.  I have an Anniversary grand.   Is the  "quarter
> grand"  a trade name or designation by Chickering.   Does it have
> a model number?
> Thanks    ---rm
>
> >.......................
> That  would  be 1923.   The 135 and the
>   133 were at that time Chickering,s most
>   popular models.
>
>      The 133 was quickley replaced by the
>   123-A  123-B  123C.  The latter were great
>   scales.  Far far better than the 133.
>
>   Regards,
>   Jack Wyatt
> .......................<
>
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